Rep. Rich McCormick faces constituents with tight security at Alpharetta town hall

Rep. McCormick holds first town hall in a year

Republican Rep. Rich McCormick addressed the 2020 election investigation and faced student protests over his upcoming Morehouse School of Medicine commencement speech during a town hall in Alpharetta.  

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick heard from constituents in Georgia's 7th Congressional District at an Alpharetta hotel ballroom Thursday evening, marking his first major town hall event since one in Roswell went off the rails.

The audience was brought into a backdoor at the Marriott, where they were screened for weapons and had their IDs checked.

The event, which was RSVP only, was tamer than the one last February in Roswell, but still had its share of tense moments.

What we know:

Despite the controlled environment, there was still some shouting and cross-talk as voters questioned the Trump-aligned Republican on his views on issues such as the ICE crackdown across the country and President Donald Trump's investigation into Fulton County's 2020 election results.

"It’s going to run its course," McCormick said. "I understand the frustration on both sides of the issue."

What they're saying:

While the event was calmer than previous meetings, some attendees expressed dissatisfaction with the format.

One vocal critic of McCormick argued that the one-hour session was insufficient after a long absence from public forums.

"After a year and a half of disappearing and not giving his constituents the opportunity to talk to him and hold him accountable, he comes, and he gives us an hour of his time and he cherry-picks from the audience," Yasmine Jandali, Cumming resident, said.

Even some supporters noted a lack of depth in the congressman's responses during the session.

"I’m supportive of Congressman McCormick, but at the same time, it seemed like there was a lot of rat answers, there was a lot of noise in the room about not answering the question," Tom Driscoll, Milton resident, said.

Dig deeper:

Congressman McCormick is currently facing backlash from students at his alma mater, the Morehouse School of Medicine, where he is scheduled to deliver the commencement address next Saturday.

A group of students launched a campaign to replace him, citing his opposition to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In an open letter, the students claimed McCormick’s political stances contradict the core values of the historically black college: 

"This is one thing that breaks my heart about politics," McCormick said. "We can’t have a discussion."

What's next:

McCormick is seeking re-election this year and currently faces no Republican opposition.

On the other side of the aisle, four Democrats are competing in the May 19 primary.

The winner of that contest will advance to face McCormick in the general election this November.