On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Ben Cline held a town hall meeting to discuss issues with local townsfolk.
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Cline says he wanted the opportunity to talk with voters directly.
“That we talk about our issues, whether it’s the President’s agenda, whether it’s the Big Beautiful Bill that’s passed, whether it’s tax breaks for working families, whether it’s foreign affairs and what’s going on in Israel and Gaza,” Cline said.
While 10 News was not allowed inside the town hall - the reason given being space constraints - attendants claim that up to 35 people were inside the actual event.
Some who were in attendance left feeling discouraged.
“He did a lot of deflecting in my opinion,” attendee Brady Madden said. “People asked about Republicans and violence, but then he would go ‘oh well, Democrats are causing violence instead of answering the question.”
Meanwhile, protestors gathered outside.
Cline’s town hall sold out fast, leaving people on the outside looking in.
“I wouldn’t consider this a town hall meeting,” protester Mike Lennon said. “He’s in a controlled environment where only citizens of Lexington could register for this event, leaving us standing here. We couldn’t get inside.”
Even those on a waitlist found themselves unable to get in.
Distribution was done through Eventbrite. Cline told us before the event that it was designed this way to ensure only people who live in Lexington could attend, adding he holds townhalls in each of the 22 localities he represents.
“Eventbrite is how we ask folks to sign up, provide their name and address and location so we know that folks from Lexington can attend the Lexington Town Hall,” Cline said.
Some protestors, however, were left skeptical.
“A town hall would be if he was sitting on the soccer stadium at WML and talking to anybody that came in,” Lennon said. “I consider this more of a dog and pony show.”