BAKERSFEILD. CALIF, (KERO) — The event also served as a platform for holding local representatives accountable for their perceived lack of communication with constituents.
- Many residents attend the town hall due to frustration with local representatives, David Valadao and Vince Fong, who have not held town halls to engage directly with constituents.
- Congressman Ro Khanna from Santa Clara addresses local concerns over Medicaid cuts in Bakersfield. “Two thirds, 67% of folks in this district rely on Medicaid,” says Khanna.
- Attendees push back against claims that the event was politically motivated, asserting their genuine concern for the issues at hand.
On Sunday, hundreds of people gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Bakersfield to hear from Congressman Ro Khanna of Santa Clara, who spoke on issues such as Medicaid that are important to the local community. Many attendees expressed frustration, stating that local representatives David Valadao and Vince Fong have not been responsive to their concerns.
“Two thirds, 67% of folks in this district rely on Medicaid,” said Ro Khanna.
Although Khanna is not the congressional representative for the 22nd district, he organized the town hall after learning that House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated Republican Congressman David Valadao would not hold one.
“He was instructing people not to have any town halls, and I said that’s absurd,” Khanna explained.
Khanna emphasized the importance of urging Valadao to change his vote in order to prevent cuts to Medicaid, warning that the reductions would harm his own constituents.
“These cuts are going to hurt his own constituents, and he should be more loyal to his constituents than to Donald Trump,” Khanna said.
Democrats argue that Republicans are deliberately avoiding town halls in their districts, especially amidst President Trump’s sweeping cuts to federal programs and mass firings by the Department of Justice (DOJ). As a result, Democrats are stepping into these districts to show voters that they will listen to the people’s concerns.
For Jeanine Adams, the event was about holding elected officials accountable.
“It sends a message to our elected officials that they need to be talking to us, else we’re going to have our voices heard one way or the other,” Adams said.
Susan Stuart, another attendee, highlighted that the issue was about more than just Medicaid; it’s about the broader consequences of people not getting the help they need.
“People need the Medicaid and the medical. When people get poor and start feeling desperate, that’s when crime spikes. Do you want to be tough on crime? You support people so they don’t get so desperate that they are driven to that,” Stuart said.
Stuart also pointed out that the large turnout at the event was proof of how much people cared about the issue.
“I read something that some Republicans were claiming that these are people that are paid to come and be here. You don’t have to pay me to come here. I care about this issue, and I think everybody else here is the same way,” Stuart added.
While David Valadao and Vince Fong dismissed the event as a political stunt, local residents noted that neither representative has yet to schedule a town hall where residents can address them directly.
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