Pictured: Congresswoman Miller-Meeks answered audience question reads by KILJ General Manager Kadie Johannson, who moderated the forum. (KILJ photo)

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks faced a vocal crowd in a sometimes tense town hall forum in Keosauqua and defended her votes on a variety of issues. “We passed a Continuing Resolution that included funding for SNAP,” Miller-Meeks said at one point and people in the crowd began shouting. Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa’s first congressional district, responded to questions submitted on slips of paper and read by the general manager of K-I-L-J Radio, who moderated the event. The crowd applauded questions that challenged Miller-Meeks. Many focused on the looming expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.

Two people were escorted out of the room after making loud statements, including Taylor Wettach, a Democrat who is running in the same district Miller-Meeks represents. He chanted, “vote her out,” as he was removed. Miller-Meeks drew scattered applause from the crowd when she announced she had not been paid during the shutdown. It was the first town hall Miller-Meeks has held this year.

C-N-N reported in October that Miller-Meeks had told a gathering of Johnson County Republicans that she was not holding town halls just so people could yell at her. Miller-Meeks staff says she was followed to car yesterday (Monday) and a brief meeting with reporters after the event was cancelled.