Another town hall, another empty seat where a Republican lawmaker should have been. This time, Ohioans gathered in Columbus expecting to speak with Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted… only to find themselves addressing an audience of fellow frustrated citizens instead. Despite the lawmakersโ absence, the room was packed with angry constituents: federal employees worried about their jobs, veterans questioning their benefits, and nonprofits struggling after losing funding.
The event, shared in a viral r/Columbus Reddit post, struck a nerve. One commenter summed up the mood: โCowards. They are pretending they donโt work for us.โ
While Moreno and Husted were nowhere to be found, their absence may have backfired. With no politicians in the room to spin talking points, attendees had unfiltered discussions about the real-world effects of recent policies. One person described it as a rare moment where voters (Republican, Democrat, and Independent alike) had to reckon with whatโs actually happening, rather than hearing it through a partisan filter.
One comment painted a vivid picture of the shift in perspective taking place:
โBe Memaw. Have your Social Security check not show up. Have that nice Moreno boy you voted for blow you off. Get extra pissed (and scared) when he doesnโt show and you realize itโs either food or house payment this month. Get your mind changed for the first time in decades.โ
โYouโre a Public ServantโAct Like Itโ
Many Redditors expressed frustration over politicians treating public office like a private business. One user vented:
โTheyโre acting like CEOs who think they need to convince us what the right thing to do is. Bro, the right thing to do is what we want you to do. Youโre a public servant.โ
Another comment put it more bluntly:
โA blue-collar worker voting Republican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders.โ
There was also plenty of discussion about Ohioโs political landscape, particularly how some voters continue to back candidates who donโt show up for themโliterally or figuratively. One user pointed to a Sherrod Brown campaign ad that directly accused Moreno of theft. The reaction? โOhio voters did not care.โ
Ohio isnโt the only place where Republican lawmakers are dodging their constituents. Across the country, activists have started holding โempty chairโ town halls to highlight the growing disconnect between elected officials and the people they represent. While some argue these events donโt change much, others see them as crucial moments of clarity for voters.
As one Redditor put it: โThis is the last vestige of democracy that actually works.โ
Whether thatโs true remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Ohioans are fed up. Even if their representatives refuse to listen, theyโre not staying quiet.
