Republican Lawmakers Face Hostile Town-Hall Crowds

In their districts this week, Republican members of Congress are facing pushback from angry town-hall crowds over the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Some lawmakers are offering up a degree of sympathy in response, whether by defending the right to protest or attempting to convince voters they understand their concerns.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton an agitated town hall audience in Arkansas on Wednesday that he wouldn’t deny that “Obamacare has helped many Arkansans,” after a woman said the law saved her life. When another woman insisted she wasn’t a “paid protester,”that wasn’t a charge he planned to make: “You’re all Arkansans and I’m glad to hear from you,” he said. “Thank you to everyone for coming out tonight, whether you agree with me or disagree with me. This is part of what our country is all about.”