LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Democratic Party this week announced a town hall Saturday with former Democratic vice-presidential nominee and current Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
The Democratic town hall in Omaha follows Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon’s announcement earlier this week that he would hold a tele-town hall later this month. Congressional Republicans are being told by party leadership not to hold in-person town halls after some were confronted by angry crowds.
When announcing the visit from Walz, a Nebraska native, state Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb on X said, “If [Bacon] is too scared to show up in-person, we will!” His visit follows one by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who launched his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour in the state last month.
A Bacon spokesman said the format changed from his typical in-person town hall because there is “such a large interest.” The congressman told reporters Wednesday that the change happened because the tele-town halls are “more conversational.”
“I’ve been at some of the in-person town halls,” Bacon said Wednesday. “When you got moms and dads saying we can’t bring our kids to a town hall, there’s a problem.”
Nebraska Democratic Party officials said the town hall would focus on President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s “cuts” to social programs, naming Medicaid and SNAP. The press release said Bacon “is doing nothing as Musk and Trump dismantle the Department of Education, Veterans Affairs, and other critical infrastructure all of our families rely on.”
Kleeb was recently elected to serve on the Democratic National Committee’s leadership team, essentially serving as chair of state party chairs.
Bacon name-dropped Indivisible and MoveOn and said the two grassroots liberal organizations are behind organizing the protests at Republican town halls. Trump and other GOP members have, without offering evidence, blamed “paid troublemakers” for the controversial GOP town halls.
Nebraska Democrats are hosting the town hall with Walz at Metropolitan Community College’s Swanson Conference Center, at 5730 N 30th St., from 10 a.m. to noon.
Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Aaron Sanderford for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com.
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