EVANSTON, Wyo. — Last week, two Republican U.S. House representatives conducted public meetings with their constituents, each receiving markedly different receptions. This occurred despite House Speaker Mike Johnson’s advice to avoid such encounters.
In North Carolina’s Asheville, Rep. Chuck Edwards faced intense opposition during a session where detractors greeted his responses with disapproval and chanted outside the venue. Meanwhile, in Evanston, Wyoming, Rep. Harriet Hageman experienced a more subdued exchange with locals who predominantly shared her Republican views.
While both gatherings drew voters interested in Washington, D.C.’s progress under President Donald Trump, the atmosphere in Wyoming was calmer compared to Asheville’s spirited environment located some 1,800 miles away.
At the meeting in Evanston, Joy Walton, a 76-year-old Republican, sought clarification on Elon Musk’s executive role. Hageman, who succeeded Liz Cheney, described Musk as a “special government employee” with a “top-secret security clearance,” commending his efforts to reform the U.S. Agency for International Development.
This Wyoming meeting was calmer than other Republican constituent events, such as one in Kansas that was cut short due to angered constituents. Despite its friendly setting, concerns were raised about Musk’s recommendations as head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Former Wyoming Secretary of State Karl Allred supported Trump’s spending cuts but suggested reductions should also involve the defense budget, citing widespread waste. Hageman herself critiqued Musk’s plan to reduce employees within the U.S. Postal Service, a move that could severely impact rural areas like Wyoming.
In Asheville, a different scene unfolded as Rep. Edwards engaged with a more hostile crowd. Asheville, Buncombe County’s urban hub, had given Trump only 36.9% of its vote. Prior to the meeting, Democratic opponent Jay Carey vowed to challenge Edwards.
During the event, Carey interrupted Edwards with expletives, eventually being escorted out by police. Despite being met with jeers and questions from the 300 attendees and an additional 1,000 outside, Edwards maintained his composure, stating his appreciation for the dialogue.
The stark difference in receptions speaks to the varying political landscapes each representative faces. Edwards reiterated his commitment to fulfilling his electoral responsibilities despite the protests, asserting, “We’re doing exactly what the American people sent us to Washington, D.C., to do.”
