Late this winter, on a Saturday, I found myself in Winterset for a Town Hall held by Congressman David Young, who represents Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District.  There were around 20 of us in the room.  The prior election I had voted for him.  By my unofficial count, I would guess four or five of my companions at the Winterset school had also.

The news was there with a camera.  Congressman Young had a staffer there with a camera.  There was a lady on the far side of the room who also insisted on holding a camera.  All that was missing was a drone.  I suppose the ceiling was too low.

We had placed our questions into a metal can, and when the meeting was to begin, Young pulled a question out.  It was pointed, written with an edge that came through even though he had given it a smooth and rather monotone delivery.

“Whose question is this, if you don’t mind my asking?”  After a pause he added, “It’s all right.  You don’t have to say.  I’m just curious who it is that I should address.”

“It’s my question,” came a voice with a tone different than the hand that wrote it.

“Great.  Well first off, thanks for asking about this issue.”

The meeting continued topic by topic, one piece of paper at a time.  Discussion would break out, others would join in, questions were asked from our seats.  Young, for his part, went along with it.  He struck the tone he nearly always strikes, a moderate one, and then he would reach in and pull out another slip.

When mine was pulled, he read a question I had asked about trade.  I didn’t dwell on how concerned I was about it, though I’m still concerned a lot about it.  I had taken time on a Saturday to come in and ask.  I guess I figured he knew.

The guy beside me, in the midst of the questions, simply made a comment to Young:  “I’ve heard from my party, the Democrats, that you’re voting record is the 3rd or 4th in Congress in terms of voting with the President…”

“Yeah, well that’s interesting considering the president doesn’t vote.”

“I understand, and maybe it is unfair,” he side, quietly acknowledging the possibility of what everyone in the room, regardless of party, knew to be true, “but what do you have to say to that, because you know that is what they are going to come after you with.”

“I say the President isn’t my boss.  The party isn’t my boss.  I look at the issues.  I think about my constituents.  That’s how I vote.  That’s what my record reflects.”

A woman joined the conversation, “Why don’t we have middle ground anymore?  Why don’t we see it?  Why isn’t there more bipartisanship,” it was an interesting question for a group trying to vote out a moderate Republican.

“I think it depends on where you look.  Sure, there are a lot of divisive issues out there taking news headlines, but there is also a lot of work we do that enjoys broad-based support.”

A third participant joined in.  “I keep going back to silence being consent Congressman.  We need strong voices to stand up.  We need people to find their voice.  Then you will be our heroes.  We’re looking for some heroes.”

“Well I’m not trying to be a hero.”

From my perspective, at the far wall.  His deliverance of the line caught the group off guard.  While he went on to speak, you could see those who heard it pondering whether or not they had just heard him say that.  After they had reconciled with themselves that they had in fact heard him say that, they went on to silently look at each other, or lean over to their neighbor’s ear.  A candidate for the Statehouse passed a note over to another.  I’m not sure how many heard what followed.

“When you are listening at home, what you hear is strong rhetoric on both sides of the aisle.  That’s not me.  I don’t call people names.  I don’t judge others.  How do I know what is in their hearts?  Those out there shouting at both fringes, folks they’re ostracized.  They aren’t there.  They aren’t in the room when the solutions are found.  If they aren’t in the room, guess what?  The thousands of people back home they represent aren’t in the room either.  If I’m going to be a good Congressman for the 3rd District, I need to be representing you there.”