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 lawmakers’ 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: “Cowards. They are pretending they don’t work for us.”
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 what’s actually happening, rather than hearing it through a partisan filter.
One comment painted a vivid picture of the shift in perspective taking place:
“Be 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 doesn’t show and you realize it’s either food or house payment this month. Get your mind changed for the first time in decades.”
“You’re a Public Servant—Act Like It”
Many Redditors expressed frustration over politicians treating public office like a private business. One user vented:
“They’re 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. You’re a public servant.”
Another comment put it more bluntly:
“A blue-collar worker voting Republican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders.”
There was also plenty of discussion about Ohio’s political landscape, particularly how some voters continue to back candidates who don’t show up for them—literally or figuratively. One user pointed to a Sherrod Brown campaign ad that directly accused Moreno of theft. The reaction? “Ohio voters did not care.”
Ohio isn’t the only place where Republican lawmakers are dodging their constituents. Across the country, activists have started holding “empty chair” town halls to highlight the growing disconnect between elected officials and the people they represent. While some argue these events don’t change much, others see them as crucial moments of clarity for voters.
As one Redditor put it: “This is the last vestige of democracy that actually works.”
Whether that’s true remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Ohioans are fed up. Even if their representatives refuse to listen, they’re not staying quiet.
