Bend, Ore. – U.S. Rep. Greg Walden’s Bend office was inundated with a large crowd this week – the third Tuesday in a row, as part of a push to force the longtime congressman to hold a public town hall in the largest city in his district.
Walden, R-Hood River, has been accused of not holding public events in Bend, the largest city in the 2nd Congressional District. According to Bulletin archives, the last public event hosted in Bend by Walden was in January 2013.
The Bulletin reports spokesman Andrew Malcolm said Walden is committed to holding a town hall in Bend sometime this year. Malcolm said the past five years have included town hall meetings in Redmond and La Pine as well as in Bend, and they move to different cities in the county for the convenience of residents.
Malcolm said Walden has held six town halls so far in 2017, in Mitchell, Weston, Arlington, Boardman, Mt. Vernon and Lakeview. A seventh was scheduled in Ontario late in the day Tuesday, he said.
Roughly 40 to 50 residents gathered on the sidewalk outside Walden’s office Tuesday around noon, chanting, waving signs and ringing cowbells.
Tuesday’s turnout was below the turnout of the prior two weeks, according to participants. Several people who had been part of earlier protests were in Prineville to attend a town hall being hosted by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden at the same time.
One demonstrator said Walden probably gets a friendlier reception in rural parts of the 2nd District than he would in Bend, one of the only Democratic-leaning communities in a largely Republican district. Still, Snyder said Walden should be willing to appear before voters who may not be supportive of his agenda.
