tonight we have more on those democratic-led Town Halls targeting deep red areas of the state where Progressive groups are organizing so-called stop the cuts events calling attention to proposed budget slashes coming from the Trump administration at a time when Republicans have been advised to avoid in-person events senior political correspondent David Cruz reports you're being a coward congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman wasn't holding back recently when she called out Republican Congressman Chris Smith and the other Republicans in the Jersey delegation when it became clear that the GOP lawmakers were avoiding in-person Town Halls as an actual strategy Democrats like Watson Coleman and Senator Andy Kim have joined Democrats across the country holding in-person Town Hall meetings in Republican districts in this very diverse state New Jersey in this state has a history of looking after one another there are three members of Congress who think they're not answerable accountable to anybody but Donald Trump Elon Musk and the rest of the SI and we know that's not true Watson Colman headlined an event in Bridgewater part of Tom K's District called stop the cuts ostensibly aimed at raising awareness about pending cuts to Social Security Medicaid and other Federal programs but after more than a dozen speakers from a progressive Coalition brought together by New Jersey citizen action there were no actual questions about the federal Cuts or the budget mostly just calls to stop Trump and stop Elon Musk but Teresa lone of Basking Ridge a single mother of two was there to provide the perspective of and dispel some misconceptions about Medicaid recipients when I first started with the program I can't have more than $1,500 in liquid asset or I will not be eligible as soon as the next month for benefits through disability uh people who have disabled children the maximum amount is $968 I believe that you can get a month for your child I have two children we don't even qualify for the maximum amount allowed which might sound weird cuz I just told you I don't work at a union hall in Congressional District 4 where Chris Smith is the congressman a similar event with a like-minded audience it was Senator Kim's second Town Hall of the day I just finished up uh my third Town Hall in less than 72 hours some of you might have been there I want to tell chrismith it's not too hard to do I'm happy to organize one for him it's unclear whether the audiences this weekend were more residents of the districts or curated by organizers Democrats across the country have seen the programming void left by the lack of Republican town halls and are filling it with rallies like these whether it's a political rally it's an opposing Rally or whether it's a town meeting it's probably a good visual for them especially in the districts of those Republican legislators Rachel peace is an advocate for her older sister as well as her own child all of whom rely on Medicaid she noted the importance of reaching out especially at events like this especially in districts like this where many seniors and single moms share the same burdens I would love the next time we get a town hall together to do a lot more Outreach with specifically Republican constituents I think we need to hear their voices I think that they don't know what's going on I think they would be equally concerned about these issues because as I've been telling people Health Care is not a political issue it is a human issue C who has a telephone Town Hall scheduled for tonight and his fellow Republicans don't really talk to the Press either so they had no comment for this story but these mostly well attended Town Halls are the first sign that Democrats have found a counterpunch that is finally Landing I'm David Cruz NJ Spotlight news [Music]