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| Congressional Town Hall: Of Tums, Death Panels and ‘Shut Your Hole’ | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| IOWA FALLS, Iowa — Republicans home for the congressional recess have been greeted with an earful at town hall-style meetings. Many lawmakers have no such meetings scheduled — sparing them the possibility of a YouTube moment — but opening them up to criticism that they are ducking their constituents. | IOWA FALLS, Iowa — Republicans home for the congressional recess have been greeted with an earful at town hall-style meetings. Many lawmakers have no such meetings scheduled — sparing them the possibility of a YouTube moment — but opening them up to criticism that they are ducking their constituents. |
| A number of other Republicans will be hearing from constituents on Tuesday, and reporters for The New York Times will be there to gauge the sentiment. Come for the stories, stay for the videos. | A number of other Republicans will be hearing from constituents on Tuesday, and reporters for The New York Times will be there to gauge the sentiment. Come for the stories, stay for the videos. |
| ■ Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa started the first of two meetings in rural counties and was greeted by a standing-room-only crowd in Iowa Falls, with questions about the United States’ relationship with Russia, health care and several other issues. The Times’s Thomas Kaplan was there. (@thomaskaplan) | ■ Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa started the first of two meetings in rural counties and was greeted by a standing-room-only crowd in Iowa Falls, with questions about the United States’ relationship with Russia, health care and several other issues. The Times’s Thomas Kaplan was there. (@thomaskaplan) |
| ■ Representative Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, one of President Trump’s high-profile supporters in the House during last year’s campaign, will hold a meeting at 3:30 p.m. Central time in her suburban Nashville district. The Times’s Trip Gabriel (@tripgabriel) will be there. | ■ Representative Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, one of President Trump’s high-profile supporters in the House during last year’s campaign, will hold a meeting at 3:30 p.m. Central time in her suburban Nashville district. The Times’s Trip Gabriel (@tripgabriel) will be there. |
| ■ One lawmaker who has been active in the debate over replacing the Affordable Care Act, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, will hold a meeting at 4 p.m. Central time. Look for coverage from The Times’s Emmarie Huetteman (@emmarieNYT). | ■ One lawmaker who has been active in the debate over replacing the Affordable Care Act, Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, will hold a meeting at 4 p.m. Central time. Look for coverage from The Times’s Emmarie Huetteman (@emmarieNYT). |
| ■ Representative Dennis A. Ross of Florida will hold a meeting at 5:30 p.m. west of Orlando. Check back for updates from The Times’s Lizette Alvarez (@LizetteNYT). | ■ Representative Dennis A. Ross of Florida will hold a meeting at 5:30 p.m. west of Orlando. Check back for updates from The Times’s Lizette Alvarez (@LizetteNYT). |
| Chris Petersen, a 62-year-old pig farmer and proud progressive Democrat, brought a present on Tuesday for Mr. Grassley. | Chris Petersen, a 62-year-old pig farmer and proud progressive Democrat, brought a present on Tuesday for Mr. Grassley. |
| A bottle of Tums. | A bottle of Tums. |
| “You’re going to need ‘em the next few years,” Mr. Petersen told the senator, drawing laughter from the crowd that packed into a room at a firehouse in Iowa Falls, north of Des Moines. | |
| Like other Republican lawmakers who have held town hall-style meetings in recent days, Mr. Grassley came face-to-face with anxious and agitated constituents on Tuesday, who clapped and yelled out in frustration during an early-morning gathering. | Like other Republican lawmakers who have held town hall-style meetings in recent days, Mr. Grassley came face-to-face with anxious and agitated constituents on Tuesday, who clapped and yelled out in frustration during an early-morning gathering. |
| It was a spirited meeting, considering it was scheduled for 7:45 a.m. in rural county that voted overwhelmingly for Mr. Trump. At times, the mantra of “Iowa Nice” was put to the test. | It was a spirited meeting, considering it was scheduled for 7:45 a.m. in rural county that voted overwhelmingly for Mr. Trump. At times, the mantra of “Iowa Nice” was put to the test. |
| “Shut your hole!” a man yelled at a woman at one point. | “Shut your hole!” a man yelled at a woman at one point. |
| Mr. Petersen gave a stern warning about the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, telling the senator he was a diabetic who would not be able to afford insurance if not for the health care law. | Mr. Petersen gave a stern warning about the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, telling the senator he was a diabetic who would not be able to afford insurance if not for the health care law. |
| “With all due respect, sir, you’re the man that talked about the death panel,” Mr. Petersen told him. “You’re going to create one great big death panel in this country.” | “With all due respect, sir, you’re the man that talked about the death panel,” Mr. Petersen told him. “You’re going to create one great big death panel in this country.” |
| Mr. Grassley also heard from a man who said he had worked as an interpreter in Afghanistan and was trying to get asylum in the United States. Mr. Grassley said he would try to help the man and also said that Mr. Trump’s executive order on immigration “wasn’t carefully drafted.” | Mr. Grassley also heard from a man who said he had worked as an interpreter in Afghanistan and was trying to get asylum in the United States. Mr. Grassley said he would try to help the man and also said that Mr. Trump’s executive order on immigration “wasn’t carefully drafted.” |
| Mr. Grassley prides himself on spending time with the people of Iowa, visiting all 99 of the state’s counties each year. | Mr. Grassley prides himself on spending time with the people of Iowa, visiting all 99 of the state’s counties each year. |
| That tradition is so central to his persona that it has its own term — it’s called a “full Grassley” (though its fullness has been disputed). | That tradition is so central to his persona that it has its own term — it’s called a “full Grassley” (though its fullness has been disputed). |
| After the town hall-style meeting, Mr. Petersen noted that Mr. Grassley had not taken the bottle of Tums. | After the town hall-style meeting, Mr. Petersen noted that Mr. Grassley had not taken the bottle of Tums. |
| “The only time I need Tums,” Mr. Grassley told reporters, “is when I have chocolate ice cream before I go to bed.” | “The only time I need Tums,” Mr. Grassley told reporters, “is when I have chocolate ice cream before I go to bed.” |
| A staunch foe of the Affordable Care Act, Ms. Blackburn got a surprise result last month when she conducted an unscientific poll on Twitter, asking, “Do you support the repeal of Obamacare?” and the results were overwhelmingly opposed to repeal. | A staunch foe of the Affordable Care Act, Ms. Blackburn got a surprise result last month when she conducted an unscientific poll on Twitter, asking, “Do you support the repeal of Obamacare?” and the results were overwhelmingly opposed to repeal. |
| Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District, which Ms. Blackburn has held since 2003, is a safe Republican seat. Williamson County, the site of the meeting and of Ms. Blackburn’s home, is the wealthiest county in Tennessee. | Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District, which Ms. Blackburn has held since 2003, is a safe Republican seat. Williamson County, the site of the meeting and of Ms. Blackburn’s home, is the wealthiest county in Tennessee. |
| The city of Fairview, Tenn., where the meeting will be held, voted overwhelmingly for Mr. Trump: 69 percent, versus 24 percent for Hillary Clinton. | The city of Fairview, Tenn., where the meeting will be held, voted overwhelmingly for Mr. Trump: 69 percent, versus 24 percent for Hillary Clinton. |
| Most of the seats at the sold-out gathering were reserved for town residents, which a group calling itself Marsha Blackburn Must Go says was done to ensure a friendly audience. The group is rallying critics via Facebook to show up outside with protest signs. | Most of the seats at the sold-out gathering were reserved for town residents, which a group calling itself Marsha Blackburn Must Go says was done to ensure a friendly audience. The group is rallying critics via Facebook to show up outside with protest signs. |
| Mr. Cassidy is holding a meeting in Denham Springs, La., to discuss flood relief. Other issues will emerge. | Mr. Cassidy is holding a meeting in Denham Springs, La., to discuss flood relief. Other issues will emerge. |
| The senator, who is also a physician, is likely to get questions about health care coverage in a state that recently expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. | The senator, who is also a physician, is likely to get questions about health care coverage in a state that recently expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. |
| Republicans have faced a torrent of questions over what will replace the Affordable Care Act if they follow through on their campaign pledge to dismantle the law. Often, they have struggled to answer. | Republicans have faced a torrent of questions over what will replace the Affordable Care Act if they follow through on their campaign pledge to dismantle the law. Often, they have struggled to answer. |
| Mr. Cassidy has a ready response: He has his own plan to replace the health care law, which he has eagerly promoted in recent weeks. | Mr. Cassidy has a ready response: He has his own plan to replace the health care law, which he has eagerly promoted in recent weeks. |
| He also has plenty of time to make peace with discontented constituents. He isn’t up for re-election until 2020. | He also has plenty of time to make peace with discontented constituents. He isn’t up for re-election until 2020. |
| Few Florida Republicans are as enthusiastic about Mr. Trump’s election as Mr. Ross. He has spoken at several of Mr. Trump’s rallies, including one last week, and flew on Air Force One with the president to Washington from Tampa recently. | Few Florida Republicans are as enthusiastic about Mr. Trump’s election as Mr. Ross. He has spoken at several of Mr. Trump’s rallies, including one last week, and flew on Air Force One with the president to Washington from Tampa recently. |
| Elected in 2010 as part of the Tea Party wave that challenged the political establishment and has fought to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Mr. Ross is now trying to carry out that promise. He has also embraced another Trump initiative: securing the nation’s borders. | Elected in 2010 as part of the Tea Party wave that challenged the political establishment and has fought to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Mr. Ross is now trying to carry out that promise. He has also embraced another Trump initiative: securing the nation’s borders. |
| “I am proud to represent District 15 at President Trump’s rally this evening in Melbourne, Florida! We are going to secure our borders, repeal AND replace Obamacare, and allow you to keep more of your hard-earned money,” Mr. Ross said on Facebook. | “I am proud to represent District 15 at President Trump’s rally this evening in Melbourne, Florida! We are going to secure our borders, repeal AND replace Obamacare, and allow you to keep more of your hard-earned money,” Mr. Ross said on Facebook. |
| His district stretches over portions of two western counties in Central Florida, including parts of Tampa. Known as one of the most conservative Republicans in his state’s congressional delegation, Mr. Ross is popular in his district, winning handily in 2016. | His district stretches over portions of two western counties in Central Florida, including parts of Tampa. Known as one of the most conservative Republicans in his state’s congressional delegation, Mr. Ross is popular in his district, winning handily in 2016. |
| But he has his detractors, and an opposing contingent is expected to show up at his meeting in Clermont, a small city in rural Florida. The group, Indivisible East Hillsborough, strongly opposes repealing the Affordable Care Act. It is also concerned about the environment, a flash point in Florida because the state’s tourism industry is dependent on clean oceans, waterways and parks. | But he has his detractors, and an opposing contingent is expected to show up at his meeting in Clermont, a small city in rural Florida. The group, Indivisible East Hillsborough, strongly opposes repealing the Affordable Care Act. It is also concerned about the environment, a flash point in Florida because the state’s tourism industry is dependent on clean oceans, waterways and parks. |