Representative Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York, didn’t expect a warm welcome when he held a town hall Sunday night in his suburban swing district. Still, the opening dispute caught even him off guard — it erupted over the Pledge of Allegiance.
“You’re not seriously objecting to the Pledge of Allegiance, are you?” Lawler asked in disbelief, reacting to groans from the crowd gathered in a high school auditorium after he suggested reciting it.
Eventually, the several hundred attendees stood and recited the pledge, though not without protest. One man shouted “Authoritarian!” — likely a jab at former President Trump — while another yelled, “Support the Constitution!”
And so the night continued, filled with sharp exchanges and tense back-and-forths. Lawler, one of the most electorally vulnerable Republicans in the House and a rumored contender for New York governor, faced intense pushback from liberal constituents. Criticism ranged from sweeping GOP tax cuts to even the lighting in the auditorium.
This kind of heated encounter has become common for the few House Republicans who’ve chosen to hold public forums despite party leadership’s advice to avoid them. Across the country, lawmakers have faced anxious, frustrated constituents eager to voice their anger at what they see as a dangerously unchecked president.
In Lawler’s 17th Congressional District, the event often resembled a shouting match more than a constructive civic dialogue. Accusations of bad faith flew in both directions, and civility was often in short supply.
Amid the discord, there were rare glimpses into Lawler’s positions. As one of the few Republicans representing a district that leans Democratic, he’s expected to wield significant influence in a tightly divided House, especially as his party attempts to push through a massive tax and spending cut proposal.