Mark Alford (r) held an open public town hall on the campus of the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg last night. He spoke for about 30 minutes and then took questions for about an hour and a half (maybe more).

In 2022:

Election Results
Official Election Returns
State of Missouri – General Election, November 08, 2022, Tuesday, November 8, 2022
As announced by the Board of State Canvassers on Friday, December 9, 2022

U.S. Representative – District 4 (362 of 362 Precincts Reported)
Mark Alford Republican 181,890 71.3%
Jack Truman Democratic 67,069 26.3%
Randy Langkraehr Libertarian 6,117 2.4%
Darrell McClanahan Write-in 1 0.0%
David A. Haave Write-in 1 0.0%
Wyatt Parsons Write-in 1 0.0%
Total Votes 255,079

Mark Alford (r) was elected to Congress in Missouri’s 4th Congressional District against token opposition which didn’t bother to campaign (effectively).

In that environment here’s no incentive for the elected official to temper the fringe orthodoxy of the base that elected them

The audience, about fifteen minutes before the beginning of the open public town hall:

I showed up to the venue with my gear (cameras, audio recorders, tripod, wearing a vest with my media ID clearly visible, wearing an N95 mask) over a half hour before the scheduled start of the town hall. I introduced myself by my name to a staffer and asked if it was okay to locate myself with my camera on a tripod and the rest of my gear on the floor in front and to the left of the stage. It was.

Mark Alford started the town hall by thanking everyone who facilitated and attended the town hall and then introduced the local republican party chair and the local Democratic Party chair, “Mike Besin”, who apparently wasn’t there.

Great staff work, there.

Half the battle really is about showing up. I only recognized one other Democrat in a room with maybe 150 people. By their applause, questions, and called out comments the vast majority of the audience in attendance were individuals who only watch “legitimate news” like Newsmax.

I spent over two hours in a room full of unrepentant anti-vaccine nuts and COVID conspiracy true believers. I was the only individual wearing a mask – an N95.

They believe that Joe Biden is mentally incompetent, and yet, still, somehow the evil mastermind of a vast family crime syndicate. They believe that Donald Trump is a victim and their savior. They believe that the pandemic was a hoax, Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine are miracle drugs for a disease that is no worse than a cold. And Anthony Fauci is somehow culpable for a deadly pandemic which is not a deadly pandemic. They believe the Federal Reserve, the Department of Education, and the FBI should be abolished. They believe that no one in the military should be required to be vaccinated (you know, follow a legal order in support of readiness) – notwithstanding the vast vaccine record on the folded yellow card that I had to have as a child dependent decades ago. Socialism is evil. Communism is evil. Socialism and Communism are always mentioned in the same breath. Social Security and Medicare need to do a better job of taking care of us. The border is totally open. All those “illegals” get paid $2,200.00 a month and seven million of them are going to vote in the election – that’s why Joe Biden is letting them in. Our military has gone to shit after just two years because of Joe Biden and DEI. It went on and on. They’re all fucking crazy.

My god, they all really believe this shit.

“When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” – attributed to Sinclair Lewis. I have news for you, it’s already here.

Mark Alford (r) is comfortable with a mic and quite slick in his delivery. Over thirty years as a television newsreader will do that. But those skills can’t hide the underlying fringe orthodoxy at the core. Despite the (very) occasional soothing sounds about bipartisanship and “getting along” he can’t help himself. They guy worked for the Kansas City Fox affiliate for years and he apparently believes they were some sort of bastion of progressive thought.

There is no such thing as a “moderate” republican. None of them come close. If you somehow still believe there are still some who are “moderate” you’re deluding yourself. And I don’t want to know you.

They’re all voting for Trump, and since no one was there to offer even a token challenge to their insanity, they believe everyone else will do the same.

I was stuck inside an insane right wingnut paranoid feedback loop for over two hours. I barely got out.

You all owe me big time.

Previously:

You spelled “Trump” wrong (August 30, 2023)