Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

Why Republicans are hiding from their own voters

alternet.org · 14h · first reportShare

The numbers make it clear: Republicans have almost completely stopped holding town hall meetings in which they’re forced to confront their own constituents . So far, over the course of 2026, Republicans have held just 39 town halls, while their Democratic opponents have held 451. This is according to new reporting from MS NOW , which wrote on Thursday, “The Republican town hall is disappearing. Once a mainstay of life as a lawmaker, in-person town halls have become increasingly rare for House Republicans, who are opting instead for virtual events and more private meetings with constituents.” MS NOW spoke with GOP lawmakers who cited three reasons Republicans are hiding from their public. First, many are avoiding in-person events because they fear being protested or heckled. Others said virtual events allowed them to reach more people at once. And others still raised concerns over safety, noting the assassination attempts against President Donald Trump and other officials. Whatever thei