Congressman Chris Stewart’s town hall in Central Utah on Friday brought out more supporters than detractors, but he still faced several tough questions about the GOP’s plan to repeal Obamacare.
Stewart’s town hall at Richfield High School started calmly enough, with the Congressman briefing the crowd on his recent trip to Asia.
But when he pivoted to health care, and his recent vote supporting a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, several people objected.
"It’s ridiculous to think Republicans or anyone wants to make life harder for people; it’s just not true," said Stewart of the American Health Care Act, the House bill Republicans recently passed.
“It is true!” some shouted back.
Stewart reiterated talking points that the GOP’s health care plan would protect those with pre-existing conditions. Critics say the bill would allow states to opt out of those provisions and could make insurance unaffordable for those people with lapses in coverage.
About 250 people attended the town hall, a diverse mix of ranchers, retirees and public lands advocates. Although there were some outbursts, people remained civil with the congressman who took a vast majority of votes here in last year’s election.
Nancy Schmidt, a Republican from Richfield, told Stewart she's worried that the GOP isn't doing enough to back President Trump.
“I support the president," she said. "I believe in President Trump, and I want you to support him in all that he does — maybe not his Tweeting — but you know, anything else,” she said.
Tyrell Aagard, chair of the Salt Lake County Young Democrats, drove two and a half hours to ask Stewart about the fallout over President Trump’s firing of former FBI Director James Comey, a decision Stewart said he supported.
Aagard said it’s important that Stewart hear from both urban and rural parts of his district.
“And I think the biggest thing, is a lot of the folks in the Levans and Richfields of Utah never talk about politics or even interact with the people in the Salt Lake Citys and Ogdens of Utah,” he said.
Stewart took about seven questions from the audience before exiting the stage after about an hour. As people streamed out of the auditorium, one woman said she hadn't been to a town hall that lively before.