Georgia Representative Rich McCormick faced furious constituents at a recent town hall, and now Republican leaders are telling their members to avoid public meetings altogether, according to congressional aides. The reason? They don’t want a repeat of what happened in Roswell, where McCormick was shouted down by voters demanding answers.
❌ No More Town Halls: Instead of facing the people they represent, Republican lawmakers are backing away from open forums. Leaders are advising them to move to pre-screened, invite-only events or shift entirely to virtual town halls where they can control who speaks.
The goal isn’t engagement or learning what their constituents want —it’s damage control.
🔥 Why It Matters: If Republicans follow the advice, it is tantamount to officials refusing to be held accountable. McCormick’s town hall made headlines precisely because voters weren’t satisfied with scripted talking points. Now, instead of listening, Republicans are shutting the door.
That doesn’t usually go over well with voters. In South Georgia this week, a crowd of protesters showed up outside Congressman Rick Allen’s office demanding a face-to-face town hall meeting.
📢 What You Can Do: If your representative won’t meet with you, demand answers. Call their office. Show up where they are. Make it clear that public officials work for the public— not just the people they choose to hear from.
🔮 What’s Next: More Republicans are expected to cancel or reformat town halls to prevent another viral disaster. But avoiding voters won’t make the anger disappear. In fact, it could make matters worse for them in next year’s midterm elections.
🇺🇸 About Representing You: This is an ongoing series of news stories devoted to how the officials elected and appointed to represent you are voting, how they are spending their time and your tax dollars, and allowing you to better determine if you feel they are actually representing you or their own interests.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
