DAVENPORT, Iowa: On Saturday, a lively gathering of hundreds cheered for Senator Ruben Gallego during a town hall in eastern Iowa. The first-term Arizona Democrat passionately criticized the expansive, Republican-supported tax bill recently signed by President Donald Trump, labeling it as a policy that could leave “America poorer and sicker.”
The event’s positive atmosphere stood in stark contrast to an earlier town hall hosted by Representative Mike Flood in Nebraska. There, a larger crowd of about 700 attendees spent much of a 90-minute session booing the Republican as he promoted the same legislation.
Following their defeat in last year’s elections, Democrats have struggled to counter the assertive approach of Trump’s second term. However, this month, they have launched a vigorous campaign against his flagship tax law, channeling their ongoing frustration into a unified stand.
Pete Wernimont, a resident of Waterloo who traveled 140 miles (225 kilometers) to attend, remarked, “This bill is helping Democrats recognize the critical stakes for protecting everyday Americans. I just hope they stay committed when it counts next year.”
While some Republicans in secure districts are courageously defending Trump’s law before audiences, most congressional Republicans are following party leaders’ advice to maintain a low profile, especially during the August recess that followed the bill’s signing last month.
Democratic activists are highlighting what they perceive as political risks for Republicans aiming to retain their slim majorities in the 2026 midterm elections.
Speaking to reporters before the event, Gallego emphasized, “This is a defining moment for us. Democrats now realize we are the champions of America’s middle and working classes.”
For two hours, an audience of approximately 300 people applauded and occasionally rose to cheer the Arizona senator, who is among several Democratic leaders targeting the bill in Republican-held congressional districts. His visit took place in Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ highly competitive 1st Congressional District.
The legislation has injected new energy into a Democratic Party frustrated by various Trump administration policies.
Alexandra Salter, a physician’s assistant from Davenport who attended the event, shared, “I’m here because this bill threatens healthcare. We need to raise our voices against it.”
The Davenport gathering sharply differed from Flood’s Lincoln meeting on Monday, where a crowd of 700 strongly opposed the bill, particularly its alterations to Medicaid, the federal healthcare program for low-income individuals.
The bill, which passed without any Democratic support in either the House or Senate, introduces significant cuts to Medicaid, including new work requirements for beneficiaries.
The same discontent that brought Wernimont to Davenport motivated Ann Ashburn from Aurora, Nebraska, to drive 70 miles (113 kilometers) to confront Flood on Monday.
Ashburn, who learned of Flood’s event through the Omaha-based Democratic group Blue Dot and invited friends to join, rejected claims that the opposition was coordinated.
The 72-year-old retired executive noted, “Our momentum could have been stronger with better organization.”
Republicans face a challenging task in leveraging this law to regain voter support for the 2026 elections. A recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that about two-thirds of U.S. adults believe the law favors the wealthy, while around 60% feel it will harm low-income individuals more than it helps.
Gallego’s Iowa visit, which included a stop at the Iowa State Fair, served to enhance his visibility in a state that, until 2020, kicked off the Democratic presidential nominating process. Iowa Democrats are eager to reclaim that role for the 2028 primaries and caucuses.
Other prominent Democrats, like New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have been actively visiting Republican districts to criticize the legislation. Last month, Ocasio-Cortez led an event in New York’s 21st District, represented by Republican Elise Stefanik, focusing on the bill’s Medicaid impacts.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is set to hold rallies on Sunday in Republican-controlled House districts in North Carolina, where he will address Medicaid cuts and their effects on rural hospitals. This follows former Governor Roy Cooper’s collaboration with the GOP-led legislature to expand Medicaid coverage in 2023, as he now campaigns for a U.S. Senate seat.
