News · Press Release

Freshman Dems Follow Through On Promises by Holding Over 100 Town Halls in the First 100 Days

Newly Elected Democrats Show Up, Listen and Bring Voters’ Concerns To Congress

In the first 100 days of the New Democratic Majority, Freshman Democrats have already held over 100 town hall meetings. By meeting with their constituents, these Freshman Members are living up to their promises and following through on their commitment to accountability and communication.

“Even before this week’s 100 days milestone, Freshman Democrats across the country have been holding town halls, constituent coffees, and community roundtables across their districts – to the tune of more than 100 town halls so far,” said DCCC Spokesperson, Jared Smith. “Accessibility and accountability aren’t just talking points for these newly elected House Democrats, it is how they are changing Washington to make sure Congress works for the people once again. Freshman Democrats are showing their commitment to being available and accountable to their bosses, their constituents, and are bringing their concerns and priorities to the halls of Congress.”

Below are several examples of Frontline Freshman Democrats being accessible to their constituents in the first 100 Days of Congress

NY-22 | Congressman Brindisi continues town hall pledge, talks healthcare and media
Oneida Dispatch | Charles Pritchard

Continuing his pledge to hold at least one town hall a month and visit every county in the 22nd Congressional District, Congressman Anthony Brindisi sat down with residents and students at Cazenovia High School on Saturday.

“I take the title of representative seriously,” said Brindisi, D-22. “To do my job, I need to hear directly from Upstate New Yorkers about the challenges they face and the issues on their minds. Our town halls are also a way to make sure people know where I stand. At the end of the day, you are my bosses.”

CA-10 | Accessibility is the name of Harder’s game, he says on first day in Congress
Modesto Bee | Gareth Stapely

A few hours after taking the oath of office on Thursday, and shortly before casting votes aimed at ending the government shutdown, Rep. Josh Harder and his wife, Pam, filmed a Facebook Live event reflecting on his first day in Congress, and he promised such accessibility will be a hallmark of his service for the next two years.

“This is an ongoing commitment,” Harder said in the video, which can be viewed on his Facebook page. “We campaigned on being transparent, on being present and representing the interests of my constituents and listening to everyone in the community. That work continues on.”

VA-07 | Spanberger talks internet, immigration, solar plans at town hall
Fredericksburg Free Lance Star | Kristin Davis

During her second town hall in as many months in office, freshman Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, fielded questions on topics as far-flung as broadband access in rural America, the immigration debate and a massive solar farm set for a vote in Spotsylvania County this week.

More than 100 people gathered in the auditorium of the Marshall Center on Saturday afternoon in a county where a majority of votes went to Spanberger’s Republican opponent, then-incumbent Dave Brat.

KS-03 | Rep. Davids talks healthcare, infrastructure at first town hall since taking office
KHSB | Cat Reid

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids covered everything from healthcare to the Mueller Report on Sunday during her first town hall since taking office earlier this year.

Constituents in Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District have not had the opportunity to attend such an event since August 2017, when former U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder — who Davids beat in a November election — last participated in a town hall.

CA-49 | Congressman Levin has Coffee with Constituents
The Capistrano Dispatch | Shawn Raymundo

Holding his inaugural Coffee with Your Congressman event, Rep. Mike Levin, of California’s 49th District, met with constituents at Ellie’s Table at Egan House on the morning of Friday, March 22. Levin, a resident of San Juan Capistrano, spent one-on-one time with locals answering their questions.

“We’re going to keep doing these,” Levin said, addressing the crowd. He later added, “I want to be accessible. I want to know what’s on your mind.”

CO-06 | Congressman Crow holds first town hall, re-affirms stance on border security
The Sentinel Colorado | Kara Mason

It has only been 29 days since Aurora Congressman Jason Crow has officially been in office, “but what a 29 days it has been,” the Democrat said jokingly to attendees of his premier town hall meeting Thursday.

The congressman called the town hall a “listening session.” He took questions about topics ranging from the recent partial government shutdown, to student loan debt, to net neutrality.  He said he plans to have at least one session per quarter for the next two years.

UT-04 | New Utah Rep. Ben McAdams to hold 2 town hall meetings
Deseret News | Lisa Rily Roche

The state’s newest member of Congress, Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, is holding two town hall meetings this month, in Lehi and West Valley City, as well as an open house at his 4th District office in West Jordan.

“I’m a better representative when I’m hearing from Utahns and I plan to have frequent listening sessions,” McAdams said in a statement Tuesday announcing the availability with constituents.

CA-21 | Congressman TJ Cox holds his first town hall in the Central Valley, talks clean water
KSEE 24 | Staff

In Hanford Saturday, more than a hundred people attended Congressman TJ Cox’s (D-Fresno) first town hall. During his campaign, the candidate promised he would make town halls a priority.

He spoke at West Hanford High School about access to clean drinking water, and also focused in on President Donald Trump’s proposed 2020 budget which would increase defense spending and make cuts to Medicare and Medicaid funding and spending, over time.

NY-11 | Max Rose tackles transportation, seawall, and immigration at first town hall
Staten Island Advance | Sydney Kashiwagi

At least 200 Islanders packed into the St. Philip’s Baptist Church in Port Richmond Monday evening to ask their newly elected Congressman Max Rose (D-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) about his work in Washington, D.C. and get him on the record about key Island issues.

Islanders pressed Rose on everything from transportation and guns to abortion and immigration.

NV-03 | At roundtable, Susie Lee says she is an advocate for the LGBT community
Las Vegas Sun | John Sadler

Rep. Susie Lee held a roundtable Thursday to determine the best way forward to advance LGBTQ rights. Among the topics discussed were health issues, sensitivity training and President Donald Trump’s transgender ban in the military.

“I think it’s important for them to know they have a fighter in me in Washington,” Lee said.

IL-06, IL-14 | U.S Reps. Underwood, Casten talk climate change, health care at Crystal Lake forum
Northwest Herald | Brittany Keeperman

U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, and Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, met with residents at a town hall event Sunday. Indivisible NW IL hosted the meeting at the Crystal Lake Public Library. Underwood, who represents District 14, held her session first, followed by District 6 representative Casten. Talking points included election and climate change legislature, and the partisan divide.

MI-08 | U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin tackles affordable healthcare, student debt and more at first town hall meeting
Oakland Post | Taylor Crumley

U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin fulfilled one of her campaign promises on Thursday, March 21, 2019, as she held her first town hall meeting of the year. She promised in her campaign that she would hold one every three months. […] As the conversation closed, Slotkin said addressing questions about different issues made her hopeful for the future.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us on these issues,” Slotkin said. “I feel particularly hopeful because I am a part of a class of over 100 new members of Congress — Democrats and Republicans — and we are a different breed with a different mission sent to Washington to get something done.”

CA-48 | Rep. Harley Rouda’s first town hall gets commitments to fund state needs, tackle airport noise
Los Angeles Times | Hillary Davis

The Laguna Beach Democrat drew more than 200 people to the Estancia High School gym Tuesday for his first town hall in his 48th District, fielding questions on national topics from the Green New Deal and the 2020 presidential election to the minimum wage and congressional gridlock.

CA-39 | Representative Gil Cisneros hosts open house at Fullerton home office
Daily Titan | Noah Biesiada

Congressman Gil Cisneros, the Democrat representative of the 39th District opened his first home office in Fullerton this past Saturday, hosting an open house for the community to come ask questions and meet his staff.

It’s exciting for so many people get to come and see what is their office. I’m just holding the seat, but this office belongs to the constituents of the 39th, and I’m excited so many people have come to check it out and know where we’re going to be,” Cisneros said.

CO-06 | Congressman Jason Crow’s local initiative is a road trip across the district with local leaders
CITY DESK | Staff

Aurora Congressman Jason Crow is hitting the road. Across the 6th Congressional District, that is. He said his goal is to strengthen relationships with local leaders to better tailor Crow’s work in Washington, D.C. […]

I look forward to working with mayors, city managers, and local residents across the district to learn more about the unique challenges they face and bring those ideas back to Washington to solve problems for the 6th district,” he said. “This will help us be a better advocate for our communities and fight for federal resources for important local projects. Members of Congress need to listen and then lead. For me, that starts right here in our local communities.”

KS-03 | Congresswoman tours KCK health clinic
Wyandotte Daily | William Crum


U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., today toured Southwest Boulevard Family Health Care, a safety net clinic at 340 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas. […]

We are honored to have Congresswoman Sharice Davids visit Southwest Boulevard Family Health Care to see first-hand how we serve and support thousands of low-income Kansas Citians and families throughout the Kansas City metropolitan community, as one of her concerns is for those in need to receive affordable quality health care,” Dr. Sharon Lee, CEO of Southwest Boulevard Family Health Care, said in a statement.

CT-01 | NH Primary Source: Pappas to host third town hall meeting since taking office
WMUR9 | John DiStaso

U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas next week will hold his third town hall meeting with Granite Staters since taking office. […] In addition to holding town halls, Pappas has begun “Coffee with Your Congressman” meetings throughout the 1st Congressional District. He has so far held coffees at local eating establishments in Londonderry, Goffstown and Manchester.

ME-02 | Golden opens up about his first weeks in Congress
WABI | Emily Tadlock


Golden recently opened his third office in the district providing a place for his constituents to reach out. […]

Golden has also been working on getting his own bill- aimed at lowering prescription drug costs- passed.

The goal is to take those prescription drug companies that have been granted something called exclusivity in the market, this is essentially a time when competitors cannot enter into the market with generics which we all know tend to be lower cost than brand,” Golden said.

MI-11 | Rep. Haley Stevens at Milford town hall| ‘We need to find a way to regrow the middle class’
Hometown Life | Susan Bromley


Wages, climate change, immigration, underfunded education and the next president were among many topics Congresswoman Haley Stevens touched upon in a town hall meeting Wednesday night in Milford. […]

The question we all ask in America is should you be working full-time but making minimum wage and living in poverty?” Stevens said “I have been working on a 21st century labor movement… We need to find a way to regrow the middle class.”

NJ-07 | Rep. Tom Malinowski Cranford town hall| Health care, infrastructure and Mueller report big topics
Bridgewater Courier News | Nick Muscavage


Rep. Tom Malinowski held his first official town hall on Saturday, fielding topics from constituents ranging from health care and infrastructure to the special counsel’s report and impeachment.

“It’s been three months since I got sworn in on that day in early January,” Malinowski said, “and I think we hit the ground running.”

MN-02 | Angie Craig hosts monthly town hall meeting in Red Wing
FOX News 47 | Holden Krusemark


Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig hosted a town hall in Red Wing Saturday morning.

She met with supporters to discuss topics like health care costs and climate change.

Craig says she’s committed to hold at least one town hall-style public meeting with a Q-and-A period at least once a month.

NV-04 | Horsford hears from vets about what they need
News 3 LV | Jeff Gillan


Around a table at Congressman Steven Horsford’s North Las Vegas office sat a dozen-or-so veterans who call Nevada home. […]

Well, look, we have a lot of challenges throughout the VA,” Horsford, D-Nevada, tells KSNV. […]

I want to work on the public lands legislation through the Natural Resources Committee (in Congress) to get more public lands available to the private sector for affordable housing, particularly for our veterans,” says Horsford.

NY-19 | Rep. Delgado, in address to Ulster County chamber, calls for bipartisanship, economic initiatives
Daily Freeman | William J. Kemble


Matters relating to health care were raised during the question-and-answer period after Delgado’s prepared remarks. One business owner said it is becoming difficult to keep paying 100 percent of employee insurance costs. Delgado responded that efforts are being made to have functioning parts of the Affordable Care Act work better and to bring down costs charged by insurance companies.

What we can do is inject a public competitor into the system and make sure there’s at least a floor that will drive down the premiums and drive down deductibles,” he said.

NY-22 | Brindisi town hall| ‘You are my bosses’
Observer-Dispatch | Samantha Madison

In his first town hall in Oneida County since being elected, U.S. Rep. Anthony Brindisi told more than 80 people in attendance that he works for the people in New York’s 22nd District.

It helps me be a better representative to learn from you about where you stand on some of these issues,” he said Thursday evening at Mohawk Valley Community College’s Rome campus. “If we can’t get you answers, we’ll find you the place to go get the answers for you. … My goal is really to be accessible in the community, I want you to know that our office is here to serve you. You are my bosses.”

Answering more than 20 questions, Brindisi discussed gender and racial inequality, cybersecurity, health care and Medicaid, executive overreach and immigration.

UT-04 | Rep. Ben McAdams holds town hall in GOP stronghold
Associated Press | Staff


The freshman congressman met with a crowd of constituents Tuesday in Lehi, saying he tries to focus on goals instead of positions when approaching heated topics. […]

It was McAdams’ second town hall since taking office last month. He vowed to hold regular town halls after criticizing his predecessor Mia Love for limiting her meetings.

Understanding more deeply what people in Utah County care about is going to be very important to me,” McAdams said.

NJ-11 | ‘Mondays with Mikie’
Insider NJ | Fred Snowflack


Mikie Sherrill’s outreach as a congresswoman is beginning to take shape. She announced Monday that her district office will open next Monday, Jan. 14 […]

Additionally, Sherrill also has scheduled her first town hall meeting for 7 p.m., Jan. 22 at the Hanover Township Community Center on North Jefferson Road in Whippany. The event is set to last two hours and admittance will be “first come, first seated. for the first 400 attendees,” according to a release. One of the issues that helped galvanize opposition to Frelinghuysen was his refusal to hold town hall meetings.

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