HOLLAND — Constituents in West Michigan’s Fourth Congressional District wanted a town hall — with or without U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga.

“This is why I am angry,” said Lois Maassen of Zeeland, addressing her frustration to an effigy of Huizenga, complete with three-piece suit and a MAGA hat propped in front of a microphone on stage so commenters could address their congressman. 

"I’m watching the destruction of our social safety net, the Education Department, health care access, public lands, and food security. I’m watching us abandon our global leadership in democracy and human rights and humanitarian aid and in science. Abandoning our commitment to address climate change,” Maassen said. 

“You expect compliance when you want my granddaughter to grow up in a country where words are banned and history is erased? Where empathy is mocked? Nope.”

Janice Gibbs of Holland said Huizenga is not honoring the oath he took to hold office.

"It's a promise you make before God, with your soul in your hands, and if you open your fingers, then, by taking a false hope, what do you have left?" she said. "I think that's the question for Rep. Huizenga, because he, like all members of Congress, like the president, like the members of the executive branch, took an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, and I think he's missing an action.

"What we need is a Congress that will take back its role as a co-equal branch of government."

The event, hosted by the Ottawa County Democrats, came Thursday after Huizenga, an eight-term Republican, didn’t respond to numerous calls from constituents to address their concerns in person.

Organizers said about 350 people attended the event.

“He acts as if his election victory gives him a free pass. We brought letters and shared personal stories, but soon we were told we needed appointments, his door was locked, emails went unanswered, and voicemails were turned off,” said Melanie Scholten, political organizing director for the Ottawa County Dems. “We were told to 'slide concerns under the door,' which is unacceptable. This isn’t how a representative government should work. We deserve to be seen, face to face."

Huizenga was invited by the event's organizers, but did not attend.

Local Democrats tried to arrange for a special appearance by U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, a centrist Democrat who represents the state’s 11th District in Oakland County, to visit Huizenga’s district to address constituent concerns, however, she wasn’t able to attend the town hall and sent a prepared video to close out the event.

“The lines of our democracy have been colored outside, and now is the time for us to stand up for our country, to stand up for what we work so hard for, and to demand accountability, and that's what you're all doing in the fourth district,” Stevens said in her video address.

Amongst the many speakers was Jessica Swartz, who ran as Huizenga's Democratic opponent in the 2024 election. She thanked the crowd for showing up and giving her the honor of being last year's nominee against Huizenga.

“If we don't fight now, we're going to lose our republic. We're going to lose our democracy. We're going to lose our identity as Americans,” Swartz said.

Swartz fueled speculation that she might run for the seat again in 2026: “You are going to hear a lot more from me in the next few months.”

When asked if she was considering another candidacy, Swartz declined to give ONN a definitive answer.

“It’s going to be a long 18 months, but if we can keep up this energy that we felt in here tonight — we know we (Democrats) can do this,” she said.

Richard Fuller, sheriff of Kalamazoo County, also attended the event. 

“It was important to be here today – it's really important – because right now we want to make sure people understand democracy matters, and the more we can get out into public like this, the more voice we can give people, the more we can listen to everyone who is concerned about things, especially when our other elected officials are not doing this,” Fuller said after the event.

Protests have continued at Huizenga's offices throughout the district, which includes much of Southwestern Michigan, including Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and Holland, over dissent of President Donald J. Trump’s policies and executive orders — and members of Congress who support him.

The protests began to mount in Holland in February over the administration’s push to gut federal health, education and human services agencies — as well as billionaire Elon Musk’s influence on drastic cuts.

Read More: Hollanders march in protest of Trump, demand Huizenga meet with constituents

Read More: Protestors continue to demand answers from U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga

One prominent concern is possible cuts to Social Security after office closures and massive layoffs of federal workers — part of an effort by Trump and Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to slash government spending — will make it even harder.

Huizenga pledged throughout the meeting: “Let me just reiterate, Social Security is not being touched."

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Similar exchanges have played out across the political battleground of Michigan and elsewhere in the U.S. in recent days, as widespread cuts prompt fears among constituents about the popular program, which provides monthly benefits to retirees and some children. It's left Republicans scrambling to reassure voters and play down Musk's comments about Social Security and his ability to make cuts. The GOP also has accused Democrats of “fear-mongering" on the matter.

Stevens, a four-term centrist Democrat, is mulling a 2026 run for Michigan’s open Senate seat after Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, announced he would not seek another six-year term. The decision has positioned Michigan to be the only battleground so far to feature both an open Senate seat and an open governor’s office on the ballot next year.

— Sarah Leach is the executive editor of the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at sleach@ottawanewsnetwork.org. Follow her on Twitter @ONNLeach. Christopher Thome covers business and development and politics for ONN. Contact him at cthome@ottawanewsnetwork.org.