Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) shared his insight on what might be coming for Republicans whose angry constituents are slamming them over their support for President Donald Trump amid his second term.
Kinzinger told a “CNN NewsNight” panel that he hated doing town halls as an elected official when he faced people upset with him. But, he added, it’s not only OK for constituents to criticize or compliment their representatives — it’s their right.
“The reality is this, this is scaring Republicans, and it should, because this mimics what happened in 2010 when you saw the Tea Party rise up,” Kinzinger argued.
Kinzinger later took to X, formerly Twitter, where he urged Americans to “keep up the demands” for town halls to hold Republicans accountable as it “really is making them nervous.”
The Tea Party movement sparked protests back in 2009 in response to policies during then-President Barack Obama’s first term.
Republicans would go on to take control of the House in 2010, grabbing 63 seats as part of a red wave.
Kinzinger, in his CNN appearance, recalled facing criticism at Tea Party meetings where he was asked why both he and Obama were “shredding the Constitution.”
Over recent weeks, Republicans have been hit with rage from constituents at chaotic town hall events amid billionaire Elon Musk’s chainsaw-like attitude toward federal agencies and Trump’s trade war with foreign countries, including America’s neighbors.
Party members have been advised to steer clear of town halls by both House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as well as Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
At a contentious town hall meeting highlighted by CNN on Thursday, U.S. Army veteran Jay Carey was escorted out after he shouted down Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) for not giving a “fuck” about him.
The Trump administration looks to slash more than 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to an internal memo detailed by The Associated Press last week.
Kinzinger, later in the CNN panel, predicted that the GOP will face growing “pressure” due to the town halls.
“And I would say, if your congressman isn’t doing a town hall, ‘I demand one,’” he advised.