Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., left a town hall in his home district through the back door on Wednesday night after facing constant heckling in Baldwin County.
Moore made the quick exit following a response to what a staff member announced would be the final question about the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts. This happened as seen in a roughly 40-minute video from the advocacy group Indivisible Baldwin County. He was repeatedly mocked and laughed at for his comments during the event in Daphne, 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 campaigns for governor, denied that he sneaked out through the back door in 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 stated that he was “so calm” and that he “doesn’t mind facing the heat head on.” He argued that the event was flooded by “some of the same bad actors” he had seen at other events.
Moore did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment Thursday night.
Moore was continually challenged and interrupted as he attempted to answer people’s questions stemming from frustration over Medicaid cuts, rural hospitals, tariffs, immigration, abortion, and the deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C.
He found some brief relief when attendees seemed to agree with his statement that erasing history “is a bad thing.” This was in response to a question about an ongoing initiative to revise exhibits at the Smithsonian and efforts by the White House to ensure alignment with President Donald Trump’s vision.
Asked what he viewed as Trump’s “most meaningful” accomplishment, Moore began praising his border security policies, which was met by laughter as town hall-goers jeered, “Next question.”
People also challenged Moore’s claims that cuts to Medicaid in Trump’s megabill would affect only undocumented immigrants and accused him of “lying.”
The crowd momentarily cheered on the topic of aid to Ukraine amid its 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,” he said.
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 the 1st Congressional District, which encompasses Baldwin and parts of Mobile counties, among others.
Trump won Baldwin County with 78.4% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Moore’s town hall experience Wednesday is not unique.
The few members of Congress who have held town halls during the August recess have been met by crowds of angry constituents and protesters.
That is true for both Republicans and Democrats, with people pressing lawmakers about immigration, Medicaid cuts, the war in Gaza and other issues. Congress returns to Washington on Tuesday.
