After Trump, East Texas Progressives Are Coming Out of the Woodwork

[TexasTowelie]

Protesters with Indivisible of Smith County and other grassroots groups ask Louie Gohmert for a public town hall. Courtesy Lee Hancock.

On a sunny Tuesday afternoon in late February, Tyler’s typically quiet downtown square was the scene of a standoff. Congressman Louie Gohmert was holed up inside Jack Ryan’s steakhouse, with cops guarding the entrances. He was trying to avoid about 60 of his constituents out on the sidewalk, who had come from as far as Nagodoches and Lufkin bearing signs that read “Please meet with us!” and “Where’s Louie?”

Inside, the congressman had just wrapped up a luncheon with a group of mostly friendly supporters. Like other Republican lawmakers, he was disinclined to give his less-friendly constituents what they wanted: a public town hall to hear their concerns. His getaway car stalled outside while an aide hatched an escape. Finally, a decoy car was summoned and the congressman ran out the back into a private parking lot.

The protesters still haven’t gotten face time with their congressman, but he gave them something arguably better: a statement explaining that he can’t meet with them because a public forum would put their lives in danger. Like many of the congressman’s public pronouncements, it was destined to draw national headlines and jeers — and show the world that even in deep East Texas, the resistance has legs.

Since the November election, those who voted against Trump, or wish they had, have faced a glaring question: now what?

Read more: https://thetylerloop.com/after-trump-east-texas-progressives-are-coming-out-of-the-woodwork/