Michigan GOP faces pressure for in-person town halls

Republican Congressman Tom Barrett is facing pressure from his constituents in Michigan's District 7 to hold in-person town hall meetings. A group of citizens plans to deliver a petition signed by 1,500 people to Barrett's office in Lansing. They are also inviting him to a gathering scheduled for late April. The petition organizers want Barrett to understand how President Donald Trump's policies are impacting people in mid-Michigan. Judy Daubenmier, a local resident leading the effort, expressed that many constituents are worried about job losses and program cuts. She emphasized the need for Barrett to listen to their concerns directly. Barrett has not confirmed whether he will attend the April meeting. His office did not respond to multiple inquiries about the push for town halls. Recently, he held a telephone town hall, but some attendees, including Daubenmier, were unhappy with this format. House Speaker Mike Johnson has advised Republican lawmakers to avoid in-person town halls due to protestors. Some congressional members in Michigan, like Rep. Bill Huizenga, have faced similar scrutiny for hosting only telephone meetings. Huizenga claimed that protests outside his office were organized by outside partisans, a claim that protestors denied. Another Republican lawmaker, Jack Bergman, missed an in-person town hall organized by frustrated constituents in Escanaba. The meeting continued without him, with attendees leaving a seat empty in his honor.