Florida voters took turns addressing a "missing" poster of Rep. Ana Paulina Luna, R-Fla., as part of the Democratic Party's "People’s Town Halls." (Florida Democratic Party)
"I have never seen the national Democratic Party in such chaos and confusion. Whether it's childish stunts on the floor of Congress or performance art with their fake town halls, there is nothing authentic or compelling about their message, their tactics, or their delivery," Republican consultant Frank Luntz replied on X to photos from the event.
Luntz compared the Democrats' latest move to holding posters during Trump's joint address to Congress and the coordinated effort by protest groups to disrupt Republican town halls. Others on social media called it "embarrassing." Luna's spokesperson said she has been available at "numerous events" and the Florida representative doesn't "work for the leftist mob."
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"Congresswoman Luna is not scared of leftist carpetbaggers," a spokesperson for Luna’s office told Fox News Digital in a statement. "Outside groups have been using robo-callers and non-constituent activists to scream profanities and sexist slurs at her office. Meanwhile, Tim Walz’s vaunted ‘town hall’ was closed to the public."
"The reality is that Congresswoman Luna is hard at work for the people of Florida's 13th district, tackling issues from beach renourishment to preparations for hurricane season. Additionally, she is actively working with the Trump administration to fix FEMA and waive the 50% rule. She is being awarded a key to the county because of her efforts. Congresswoman Luna has been publicly available at numerous events where constituents can freely talk with her, regardless of who they voted for. She doesn’t work for the leftist mob and doesn’t answer to the fake, billionaire-funded "grassroots" groups that pay people to be their pawns," the spokesperson added.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried spoke with Fox News Digital about Florida's statewide town halls as part of a coordinated effort by the Democratic Party to host "People's Town Halls" in all 50 states. (Florida Democratic Party)
"The fact that they're not coming back to listen to those individuals and the people that put them into office, shame on them," Fried said. "Even if it's going to be uncomfortable, that's okay. You get through these moments, and you make a better society when you're able to talk to your constituents and there's a partnership between the electeds and the people that they are serving. Unfortunately, Republicans here in the state of Florida and across the country are failing the people that they represent."
Fried said Republicans should "come and explain" what they're doing in Washington to their Florida constituents, including to Democrats who are outraged by DOGE cuts.
"If Florida Republicans really believe that what they’re doing is what’s best for the country, they should come and explain themselves to the people in their districts — and if they won’t hold town halls, we will," Fried said in a statement. "With mass firings, cuts to the VA, threats to Social Security and Medicare, attacks on immigrants, tariffs and trade wars — people deserve answers."
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks to a capacity crowd during an event at UW-Parkside on March 7, 2025 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
"Republicans in Congress know they sold out their voters by backing the Trump-Musk agenda – and now they’re terrified to be in the same room as the people who sent them to Washington," DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement.
"Instead of facing their constituents, they’re running scared and hiding from the people they were elected to represent. If they won’t talk to their own voters, then Democrats will. That’s why we’ll be hosting People’s Town Halls in all 50 states across the country, starting now with vulnerable GOP-held target districts. Working families deserve to have their voices heard, even if Republicans want to ignore them," Martin added.
The NRCC has dismissed the demonstrations that shut down Republican town halls as "clown show protests" and "manufactured productions" designed to distract voters.
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"The Democrat Party has sold themselves out to the far-left crazies and their mega-donors who are funding these clown show protests. This isn’t grassroots — it’s manufactured productions, orchestrated to distract voters from the Democrats’ failed and out of touch record." Mike Marinella, NRCC national press secretary, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/florida-dems-stage-town-halls-gop-districts-missing-posters-colleagues