Nebraska's congressional delegation has been holding town halls and meetings to hear from those they represent before heading back to work on Capitol Hill in September.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon made his rounds in Omaha over the weekend, starting with a forum in North Omaha. We caught with him to talk one-on-one about the current mood of the country, and what constituents are telling him.
"I respect disagreement, first amendment rights, it makes our country great. But it's a little too passionate, a little too many elbows being thrown out there,” the congressman said. “I think it starts with our president, and it comes all the way down."
Local resident Robert Anthony was in the crowd.
"I'm happy he has a town hall. I'm happy people get to voice their concerns. Half the questions asked, I'm in opposition to; half the questions that were asked, I support."
The congressman ended his Omaha sweep at an education fair at St. Mary's college. Everywhere, positive and negative comments about President Trump followed, he said.
"We have to remember that he ran on the platform that he was going to fight back, shake up Washington, and he's doing that." Bacon said he hopes for more decorum on both sides as Congress tackles divisive issues like the budget bill, and with the failure to pass healthcare reform.
The healthcare debate hasn't died down.
"I'm getting my healthcare coverage dropped,” local resident Michael Faue said. “I'm an individual payer through Blue Cross Blue Shield, and they are dropping the individual plan next year."
Bacon has one week left in the state before heading back to Washington with the new meetings with his constituents fresh in his mind.
"I'm very glad that Congressman Bacon is having this,” local resident Michaela Wolf said. “However, it was hard to overlook that he defended the president’s comments on Charlottesville.”
Bacon’s response to Charlottesville: "We stand opposed to Nazis, to white nationalists. However, no matter our cause, we need to be non-violent."
Congressman Bacon also weighed in on President Trump’s ban on transgenders entering the military, saying he wants to see research and objective facts regarding transgendered people in the military.
