Nebraska Republican Mike Flood faced heckling during a town hall he held in Columbus on Tuesday, as some members of the crowd began chanting “tax the rich” at the House representative.
Newsweek attempted to reach Flood for comment on Wednesday after hours, leaving a voicemail and calling by phone.
Why It Matters
Flood joins a growing list of Republican politicians encountering hostile receptions at town hall meetings across the U.S. since President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Earlier this month, House Speaker Mike Johnson advised GOP members to avoid hosting such events in person.
Criticism at these town halls has largely centered around cuts from Elon Musk’s newly established Department of Government Efficiency, as well as concerns about Social Security and Trump’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
What to Know
The town hall took place at the Columbus High School auditorium on Tuesday evening, drawing “nearly 380” attendees, according to local network KETV Omaha.
The event was lively, with Flood facing criticism over Trump administration policies, though he also received some praise for attending in person.
A 21-second video clip shared by the X account NewsWire, originally recorded by C-Span, shows a portion of the crowd chanting “tax the rich.” In response, Flood remarked, “So your proposal to solve this is to tax the rich?” which prompted loud cheers from the audience.
Crowd chants “Tax the rich!” at Republican Rep. Mike Flood’s town hall in deep-red Nebraska district. pic.twitter.com/gG11pzYEWf
— NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) March 19, 2025
Another woman expressed gratitude to Flood for hosting the town hall, but then said, “Shame on you. I want to condemn your remarks, specifically your statement where you said, ‘President Zelensky’s approach today was disrespectful to President Trump and undermines the goal of bringing peace.'”
Woman to Rep. Mike Flood at his town hall: "Shame. I want to say shame for your comment that you said, 'President Zelenskyy's approach today was disrespectful to President Trump.' Shame on that."
Flood then gets booed when he claims "Zelenskyy should have signed that agreement." pic.twitter.com/41UEXixYf0
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 18, 2025
This comment was in response to Flood’s defense of Trump following his heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on February 28, when Trump was set to sign a rare-earth minerals agreement.
On February 20, Republican Representative Kevin Hern was aggressively questioned about federal job cuts and the actions of DOGE during a town hall event on the outskirts of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
At the start of March, Johnson advised his Republican colleagues to avoid holding town hall meetings, arguing they were providing a “forum” for “professional protesters.”
On March 13, North Carolina Republican Representative Chuck Edwards hosted a town hall in Asheville, where he faced heckling. Clips of the event quickly gained over a million views on social media.
During a March 16 appearance on Fox News’ Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy, North Carolina GOP Representative Virginia Foxx explained, “I don’t do town halls because I believe it’s just an opportunity for people to yell at their member of Congress.”
What People Are Saying
During the town hall, Flood addressed the crowd, stating, “I am your Congressman. I am here to listen to you as much as I am anybody else. What I would ask tonight is that we talk to each other as Americans.
“We don’t have Republican problems. We don’t have Democrat problems. We have American problems.”
According to The Associated Press, one attendee, Pat Lostroh from David City, expressed his concerns: “My main worry is that I believe what Trump and Musk are doing is far beyond what should be acceptable in a democracy.”
Lincoln resident Diane Gonzolas shared her thoughts, saying, “I appreciate the opportunity to hear from him in person and to be able to ask him questions about whether he agrees with all the things that Trump is doing.”
What Happens Next
Flood’s rough reception could prompt more of his Republican colleagues to follow Johnson’s advice, either canceling town hall events altogether or imposing stricter controls on who can attend. Much of the frustration has centered around federal job cuts led by DOGE, and earlier this month, The New York Times reported that Trump informed his cabinet secretaries they would have more authority over these cuts compared to Musk.
