Vulnerable Dems lay low as town hall angst rages

[PoliticAverse]

NEW YORK (AP) -- From Montana to West Virginia, the nation's most vulnerable Senate Democrats are avoiding town hall meetings as their Republican counterparts get pummeled by an energized electorate frustrated with President Donald Trump's early agenda.

Some Democrats prefer to connect with constituents over the telephone or using social media. Others are meeting voters in controlled environments with limited opportunities to ask questions. But few of the 10 Democratic senators facing re-election next year in states carried by Trump have scheduled in-person town hall meetings during this week's congressional recess.

Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill declined an invitation to attend a town hall organized by a group called Kansas City Indivisible this weekend, deciding to send a staff member in her place. The two-term senator, up for re-election next year in a state Trump won by nearly 19 percentage points, is scheduled to chat with voters next week on Facebook Live.

"Seems to me that all these members of Congress are afraid to face their constituents," said Hillary Shields, a volunteer organizer with the Kansas City group.

Read the rest at:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_TOWN_HALLS_MISSING_DEMOCRATS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-02-24-09-09-43

[Wounded Bear]

1. Hmmm, sounds like a bad idea...

Somehow the "Trump won the state" meme is overplayed IMHO. They should get out there and point out the foibles and offer the Dem vision of the future.

[Jake Stern]

2. You'd figure that with the seething toward the right at this moment

these Dems would be trying to tap into that anger. Get out there and set themselves apart.

Also a great way to show that Dems don't hide from their constituents like their RWNJ colleagues.

[KittyWampus]

3. Lee Zeldin held a telephone town hall last night. I got sick of listening to his garbage

and didn't get a chance to ask him a question.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Every last damn representative, regardless of party,

need to get their asses out to a public meeting and talk and listen to their constituents. There's no excuse for hiding behind Facebook or whatever.

[GaYellowDawg]

5. That is so damn STUPID.

They need to get out there and talk about how they voted against this or that Trump nominee, differentiate themselves from what he's doing, and set out what they plan to do and vote for. It is a massive opportunity and they are squandering it. Just stupid and cowardly. If they're laying low, we ought to primary them and get some firebreathers in.

[LisaM]

6. Exactly. And they need to coordinate their message.

The fact is that they line up better with voters on the issues that are making people angry, so why not get out there?

[OnDoutside]

7. Bizarre response. Someone should get on to Rachel Maddow,

And get her to embarrass them off their ass.