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McSally Cheered for Views on Immigration

Not so much on other issues

Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., saw constituents praise for her for opposition to mass deportations. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., saw constituents praise for her for opposition to mass deportations. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., faced a sometimes angry group of 200 constituents at a town hall in Sahuarita, but the audience found her answer on immigration more favorable.

McSally spoke at the Good Shepherd Church of Christ in Sahuarita on Thursday, with many people in the audience pushing her to answer “yes” or “no” to their questions, the Arizona Daily Star reported.

But McSally said the answers they sought were complicated and required nuanced responses.

She did receive praise from the audience when she said she believed climate change is real, that she opposed mass deportations and promised to protect Social Security and Medicare, which don’t jibe with many in her party.

However, she was booed and jeered for her response to a mother who was concerned about her transgender son in the wake of the White House rescinding protections for transgender students in public schools.

“It needs to be balanced to protect children like yours, but also other children,” McSally said.

McSally’s town hall came on the same day that former Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who previously held McSally’s seat, urged members not to shy away from town hall events.

[Giffords to GOP: ‘Have Some Courage,’ Don’t Dodge Town Halls]

Giffords was seriously wounded in a shooting at a constituent meeting in her district in 2011 in which killed six people wounded 13. She was responding to Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, using that incident to explain why he would not schedule in-person town halls.

“To the politicians who have abandoned their civic obligations, I say this: Have some courage. Face your constituents. Hold town halls,” Giffords said in a statement.

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