Letter: Nunn should follow Grassley’s lead on holding more public town halls

Zach Nunn, whose supporters have long insisted he holds town halls (constituent meetings open to the public), was asked on KCCI’s Close Up on Sunday why he does NOT hold town halls and why he opts instead for “private listening sessions.”

He responded, “Look, I want our listening sessions to be very effective. We were just out at a fifth-generation cattle farm, and being able to talk directly with farmers in a farm community was something that was very impactful for us. We had over 300 listening sessions. I think that’s a really important way to find solutions from Iowans.”

It is a very fine strategy if you only want to hear people who agree with you. The campaign is over, and he represents us all, not just those who agree with him. The Republican Party told our Congressional representatives not to hold town halls. Congressman Nunn appears to be adept at following orders. Seems to me he would be better served by listening to his constituents rather than the hierarchy of the Republican Party.

Contrast that with Sen. Chuck Grassley, who believes he needs to hear from all of his constituents, not just those who agree with him. While I rarely agree with Senator Grassley’s politics, he is holding town hall meetings. They are certainly not always pleasant for him, but he is willing to hear from those who disagree with him. I respect and appreciate that. Zach Nunn should follow his lead.