Rep. Barry Moore, R-Alabama, exited a town hall in his home district through the back door Wednesday night after facing relentless heckling from attendees in Baldwin County.
Moore made the hasty departure after responding to what a staffer announced would be the last question on the topic of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts — as seen in the roughly 40-minute video from advocacy group Indivisible Baldwin County — after he was repeatedly mocked and laughed at for his comments at the event in Daphne, Alabama, a suburb of Mobile.
In the video, Moore did not offer concluding remarks or bid good night to the rowdy crowd, as many chanted “Shame!”
Moore, who is running for Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s seat as Tuberville runs for governor, disputed that he had slipped out of the back door of the town hall during an interview Thursday on “The Dale Jackson Show,” a conservative Alabama-based podcast and radio show.
“We left like any other event,” Moore said. “I think we tried to engage and answer questions, but unfortunately, it got hijacked.”
Moore said he was “so calm,” and that he “doesn’t mind facing the heat head on,” and argued that the event had been swarmed by “some of the same bad actors” whom he had seen at other events.
Moore did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment on Thursday night.
The Alabama Republican was repeatedly grilled and interrupted as he tried to respond to attendees’ questions that stemmed from their frustration over Medicaid cuts, rural hospitals, tariffs, immigration, abortion, and the deployment of the national guard in the nation’s capital.
Respite came briefly when attendees appeared to approve of Moore’s comment that erasing history “is a bad thing,” when asked about an ongoing debacle to revise exhibits at the Smithsonian and efforts by the White House to ensure they align with President Donald Trump’s vision.
Asked what he viewed to be Trump’s “most meaningful” accomplishment, Moore began praising the president’s border security policies, which was met by laughter as town hall-goers jeered, “next question.”
Attendees also challenged Moore’s claims that cuts to Medicaid in Trump’s megabill would only impact undocumented immigrants, and accused him of “lying.”
The crowd momentarily cheered on the topic of Ukraine aid amid the country’s ongoing war with Russia, drowning out Moore’s stated opposition to the funding effort.
“I didn’t vote for any of that. I didn’t vote for any of that,” said Moore.
Moore was first elected to represent Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District in 2020. After redistricting in 2024, he defeated former Rep. Jerry Carl in the GOP primary and was elected to represent Alabama’s 1st Congressional District which encompasses, Baldwin and parts of Mobile County, among others.
Trump won Baldwin County with 78.4% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Moore’s town hall experience Wednesday isn’t unique.
The few members of Congress who have held town halls during this August recess have been met by crowds of angry constituents and protesters.
That’s true for both Republicans and Democrats, with attendees pressing lawmakers on immigration, Medicaid cuts, the war in Gaza and other issues. Congress returns to Washington on Tuesday.
