Voters in U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler’s suburban New York swing district heaped criticism on the Republican during a raucous town hall.

The town hall in Somers, a leafy section of Lawler’s Hudson Valley district, began to teeter off the rails soon after it began.

The first crack emerged when Lawler, in his opening remarks, told the packed prep school auditorium: “This is what democracy looks like.”

Laughter crept through the crowd.

A little while later, the congressman’s mention of federal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. drew loud jeers.

  • don@lemm.eeEnglish
    44·
    21 hours ago

    Another attendee, Kristi Thompson, 52, said she was bothered by what she said were Lawler’s long-winded answers that didn’t address the substance of the crowd’s questions.

    “He claims to be available to constituents but he isn’t,” she said.

    The crowd walked out during the final question of the night, which was about protests against Israel. Lawler began to answer, but cut himself off as the room emptied out.

    “I appreciate everybody coming out tonight and taking the time to ask your questions and hear my answers, whether you liked them or not, or agreed with them or not, or whether you really actually wanted to listen to them or not, but I very much appreciate you participating,” he said as attendees exited.

    Of some small note: one of the pictures in the article shows him apparently making the sign of the cross before going out to address the assembly.