With the primary election less than two months away, progressives in McLean County are upping the pressure on Republican office holders—or at least cardboard cutouts of them.
Over 100 residents attended a town hall meeting Thursday night hosted by progressive groups Indivisible 13 and 18 McLean County, telling U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis and Darin LaHood what they think of their job performance and what they want from them.
The group invited both Davis and LaHood, but since neither could make it, they settled for cardboard stand-ins of the congressmen instead. (The cardboard cutouts are a recurring stunt.)
Indivisible member Susan Cortesi said the meeting was as much about informing voters as it was about confronting the congressmen.
“Tonight was about holding our congressmen accountable for the actions and the voting records they have with Congress,” Cortesi said. “We wanted to be able to speak our minds and speak our peace on things we don’t agree with that they’re doing. We also wanted to address their voting records and give (that) information to our audience.”
The meeting’s topics included Social Security and Medicaid, health care, President Donald Trump, religion’s influence on their voting record, and lack of access to the congressmen’s local offices.
“Somebody mentioned tonight that it’s difficult to get to your congressman and have a sit-down meeting or have any questions,” Cortesi said. “(The staffers) are putting us off and not allowing us to meet in their offices.”
As for town hall meetings, LaHood last held one in April 2017. Davis has not recently held a town hall meeting but has said he is willing to meet constituents one-on-one instead.
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