During a city hall meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska, Republican Rep. Mike Flood passionately defended President Donald Trump’s major Medicaid reforms, facing criticism from a rowdy audience.
Flood, one of the few lawmakers holding in-person events during August, encountered continuous heckling—many attendees shouted phrases like “rich” and “free Palestine” throughout the hour-long session. Despite the chaos, Nebraska Republicans made efforts to combat what they viewed as “misinformation” regarding the president’s major legislation.
“More than anything, I really believe this bill will protect Medicaid for the future,” Flood stated, which only incited further boos. “We’ve protected Medicaid.”
A recent poll from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research organization, revealed that a majority of Americans, including 47% of Democrats, approved of new Medicaid work requirements proposed in Trump’s law. However, members of the audience questioned Nebraska Republicans about their support of these changes.
Flood detailed the new requirements aimed at encouraging healthy adults and parents of older children to seek employment, which sparked heated reactions. “If you choose not to work, you won’t get free health care,” Flood asserted, resulting in even more disapproval from the crowd.
He then posed a question: “Do you think that someone who is 28 years old can work and if they refuse should get free health care?” Some in the crowd seemed to agree. Flood replied, “I don’t think most Nebraskans agree with you,” further complicating the conversation.
Flood’s commitment to defending the president’s sweeping reforms is part of a broader effort by House Republicans to counteract Democratic attacks on Medicaid reforms. According to the National Republican Congressional Committee, Democrats have been vocal in opposing these Republican initiatives.
Although Flood previously won against a Democratic opponent by 20 percentage points last November, he faced pointed questions during this city hall event. Nebraska Democrats have encouraged voters to attend and challenge his statements.
A particularly contentious moment arose when an attendee asked, “How much does fascism cost?” referring to the funding of immigration detention facilities. The individual linked this to Trump’s immigration policies, and the crowd reacted with applause.
Flood’s response highlighted his support for strict immigration enforcement, stating, “Americans vote for safe borders.” However, the crowd grew increasingly agitated as he defended these positions, with one woman claiming that the open border policies contribute to serious issues like fentanyl trafficking.
Amid shouts of “fascist,” Flood maintained that these topics should be discussed in a civil manner, expressing frustration that perceived outside influences are affecting local governance. A spokesman for the NRCC commented that many Nebraskans align more with Flood’s viewpoints rather than that of the vocal dissenters.
