At a CNN town hall on Thursday night, four House members from competitive districts — two Republicans and two Democrats — gave a glimpse into the looming congressional budget battles and the upcoming midterm election season.
Republicans Mike Lawler of New York and Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania, along with Democrats Jahana Hayes of Connecticut and Derek Tran of California, answered questions from voters during the 90-minute event, moderated by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and Jake Tapper. Topics ranged from former President Donald Trump’s proposed universal tariffs and immigration policies to federal spending cuts, the role of the Department of Education, and more.
Throughout the discussion, the lawmakers often broke from strict party lines.
During CNN’s Thursday night town hall, four House members from closely contested districts shared their perspectives on key issues, offering insight into the upcoming congressional budget battles and the evolving dynamics ahead of the midterm elections.
Republicans Mike Lawler of New York and Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania, along with Democrats Jahana Hayes of Connecticut and Derek Tran of California, answered questions from voters in a 90-minute discussion moderated by Kaitlan Collins and Jake Tapper. Topics included former President Donald Trump’s proposed universal tariffs, immigration policies, federal spending, and the role of the Department of Education.
Mackenzie expressed concern over the rapid pace of reforms pushed by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, saying the agency sometimes moves “too fast, too quickly.”
Lawler voiced support for a Supreme Court decision urging Trump’s administration to “facilitate” the return of a mistakenly deported Maryland man, stating, “He should be returned, and obviously they should follow the law there.”
Despite their willingness to critique party lines, the lawmakers didn’t appear to be racing toward the political center ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Hayes, one of 46 Democrats who supported the GOP-backed Laken Riley Act—which mandates detention of undocumented migrants charged with specific crimes—said she now regrets that vote. “As I’ve thought about it over the last couple months, I probably would have voted differently. It’s a vote that I regret,” she said.
All four lawmakers represent competitive swing districts. Lawler pulled off one of the most surprising wins of 2022 by unseating Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, the Democratic House campaign chair, and held his seat even as Kamala Harris won the district in the presidential race.
Mackenzie, a freshman, secured his seat on a hardline immigration platform, flipping a Trump-won district in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley.
Tran, also a freshman, won in California’s battleground Orange County, unseating Republican Rep. Michelle Steel. Hayes has held her seat in northwestern Connecticut since 2018, fending off strong GOP opposition in the last two election cycles.
Here are four key takeaways from the CNN town hall:
Democrats take a cautious stance on tariffs
While many Democrats have sharply criticized Trump’s tariff policies, Derek Tran and Jahana Hayes offered a more measured perspective. Both lawmakers acknowledged that tariffs can be a useful economic tool, but criticized the current administration’s implementation.
“I believe tariffs can be beneficial for balancing trade,” Tran said, “but when they’re used haphazardly and recklessly—causing our markets to plummet—that’s a serious concern for me.”
Democrats tread carefully on tariffs
While many Democrats have strongly opposed Trump’s tariff policies, Reps. Derek Tran and Jahana Hayes offered a more restrained critique, acknowledging that tariffs can be a useful tool if applied thoughtfully.
“I believe that tariffs can be a good thing to help balance trade,” Tran said. “But when they’re used haphazardly and recklessly, leading to market instability, that’s a serious problem.”
Hayes echoed that sentiment, refraining from outright condemnation and agreeing that tariffs “could be a good thing” if used strategically. “If this was a targeted tariff on a specific industry to boost jobs and sales domestically, that would be different,” she said. “But what we’ve seen is broad, unpredictable, and chaotic tariff use.”
Hayes also expressed support for congressional efforts to limit Trump’s unilateral tariff powers and criticized Republicans for not pressing the administration for clarity on its trade strategy.
The conversation on trade was sparked by a question to Mackenzie from a car dealer in his district. The Pennsylvania Republican defended Trump’s tariff plan, arguing it was a response to unfair global trade barriers. “Our automakers face major hurdles abroad, while foreign carmakers ship freely into our markets,” he said.
Lawler backed Mackenzie’s stance, emphasizing the need to “level the playing field” on trade.
Tensions rise over Musk and DOGE
Democrats are positioning Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as political liabilities for vulnerable House Republicans. The recent GOP loss in Wisconsin’s state Supreme Court race, despite significant financial backing from Musk, has only reinforced that strategy.
Republicans, for their part, argue that while DOGE has made missteps, Democrats have not put forward serious proposals to tackle government waste and fraud.
These competing narratives came to a head during the town hall, particularly in a tense exchange between Lawler and Hayes. As Hayes criticized DOGE’s approach, Lawler repeatedly interrupted, pressing her on whether she supported cutting any of the waste DOGE claims to have identified.
“Mr. Lawler, can you please let me finish my conversation?” Hayes asked.
“You’ve been talking for three minutes,” Lawler replied.
“And I’m going to finish,” Hayes responded firmly, later stating she does support efforts to uncover unemployment fraud.
The exchange grew more contentious when Lawler claimed that “career employees of each department” were working with DOGE to identify inefficiencies. Hayes repeatedly demanded to know, “Who are they?” and asked if Lawler had a list of DOGE personnel.
“I know you think this is some big stunt,” Lawler shot back.
The clash underscored the tightrope Republicans are walking with DOGE. Both Lawler and Mackenzie cited specific DOGE actions they opposed. Lawler said he and fellow New York lawmakers worked to reverse staffing cuts at the World Trade Center Health Fund. Mackenzie voiced concern over proposed changes to services at the Social Security Administration.
“There are many instances where they’ve moved too fast,” Mackenzie said. “You have to be very careful when implementing reforms in government.”
Tran, a military veteran, said his first bill in Congress would require the administration to rehire veterans who were wrongfully terminated by DOGE.
Hayes concluded that Congress needs to do more to ease public concerns about DOGE’s actions. “What we’re talking about is burning down the house instead of just taking out the garbage,” she said.
Sharp divide over the Department of Education
Trump’s pledge to eliminate the Department of Education and shift its responsibilities—and funding—to states and other agencies sparked a pointed exchange during Thursday night’s town hall, highlighting deep partisan differences on education policy.
Mackenzie defended the proposal, framing it as a shift in administration rather than a cut in resources. “We’re just talking about who is running the programs. No funding is being taken away,” he said, accusing Democrats of clinging to a failing system. “We want more choice. We want more options. We want change.”
Hayes pushed back, emphasizing that the Department of Education plays a vital role in safeguarding students’ civil rights, especially for vulnerable populations. “The kids who will be the most hurt are those in low-income, tribal, and underserved communities,” she said, warning that states may not be equipped to protect these students on their own.
She also criticized the lack of a clear plan from the Trump administration on how such a dismantling would work. Lawler acknowledged the absence of a concrete proposal: “Until there’s actually a plan to discuss, it’s not happening.”
Still, Lawler recognized the department’s role in civil rights protections, special education, and Pell Grant distribution. However, like Mackenzie, he emphasized the need for better performance. “We need a system that focuses on outcomes and actually educates our children,” he said.
Spending cut battles on the horizon
The heated debate over federal spending—particularly potential cuts to Medicaid—spilled over from the House floor to the CNN stage.
Democrats Hayes and Tran criticized Republicans for proposing $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, claiming programs like Medicaid and nutrition assistance are squarely in the crosshairs. “There’s no way to cut $880 billion from the health budget without impacting Medicaid,” Hayes said.
Lawler and Mackenzie, both Republicans from suburban Northeastern districts, had earlier secured commitments from House Speaker Mike Johnson before agreeing to move the budget blueprint forward. They insisted the current plan doesn’t specify any Medicaid cuts.
“There is not one identifiable cut in the budget resolution,” Lawler said. “I’ve made it clear—I will not support cuts to eligible Medicaid recipients.”
Instead, Lawler said GOP leaders are focused on reforms like “work requirements for able-bodied adults” and “citizenship verification.” Mackenzie echoed that sentiment, stressing he hasn’t committed to supporting the final legislation. “I reserve my right to vote yes or no on the final policy changes,” he said.
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