Congressman Mike Flood faces heated questions on Iran, healthcare during town hall

Protesters greeted U.S. Rep. Mike Flood with a silent demonstration outside a Nebraska Wesleyan University auditorium Tuesday before his town hall, an ironic prelude to the cacophony it would soon become.

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Congressman Mike Flood faces heated questions on Iran, healthcare during final town hall of year

LINCOLN, Neb. —

Attendees pressed the Nebraska Republican on issues ranging from U.S. involvement in Iran to cuts to social services to federal spending and immigration.

The event, Flood’s third town hall of the year, featured frequent interruptions from audience members, with frustrations at times boiling over as attendees shouted questions and criticism at the congressman.

“Wishing they were more civil,” Tom Pappas said, while noting he agreed with the sentiment. “People are pissed. And frankly, I am too.”

One attendee, Melanie Knight, criticized Flood for what she viewed as omissions during remarks in previous town halls.

“You never mentioned Iran,” Knight said. “You never mentioned homeland security. You never mentioned a ballroom. In fact, $1.6 trillion has been added to the deficit.”

Despite the tense atmosphere, Flood also received applause at times.

“Whether you vote for me or not, I am accountable to you, and I want to be here tonight to represent to you what I’ve been working on,” Flood said.

Flood highlighted bipartisan affordable housing legislation he helped write, arguing it would increase the nation’s housing stock.

“I have been focused on affordability,” Flood said. “I remain focused on affordability and increasing supply, brings down prices.”

The Lincoln event followed earlier town halls Flood held this year in Norfolk and Bellevue. He said it would be his final town hall of the year but pledged to continue holding similar events in the future.

Some attendees said they left unconvinced.

“I wanted to hear for myself him explain why Congress has lost their backbone,” Lincoln resident Shirley Mora James said. “I felt like he did answer the questions.”

Others praised Flood’s willingness to meet with constituents while raising concerns about issues affecting the community, including refugees whose legal status remains uncertain.

“In the many cases, these Ukrainians, they have nowhere to go back because their houses destroyed,” Oleg Stepanyuk, a leader in the Lincoln Ukrainian community, said. “And they’ve been living here and working here for four years.”

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