Rep. Mike Flood Faces Heated Town Hall, Admits Overlooking Controversial Bill Provision
Republican Congressman Mike Flood of Nebraska faced sharp criticism during a town hall meeting Tuesday evening, where constituents pressed him on a range of issues — including his support for a sweeping House bill that he admitted he hadn’t fully read.
The town hall, held at a high school in Seward and livestreamed by News Channel Nebraska — a media outlet founded and owned by Flood — grew tense when he acknowledged missing a provision in the House’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.” The clause in question would make it harder for judges to enforce contempt orders, raising concerns about undermining judicial authority.
When a community member asked why he backed the measure, Flood, a licensed attorney and University of Nebraska law school graduate, conceded he hadn’t been aware of that specific part when casting his vote.
“I believe in the rule of law,” Flood said. “I’ve taken oaths as an attorney, a state senator, and a member of Congress. I support our courts, and I relied on federal injunctions during the Biden administration. This provision was unknown to me when I voted for the bill.”
His admission sparked loud protests from the audience. As the moderator attempted to move on, Flood interjected, emphasizing transparency: “I’m not going to hide the truth. When I learned what was in that provision, I immediately contacted my Senate colleagues to raise concerns.”
His comments did little to quell the frustration in the room. The crowd’s questions only grew more pointed, with residents challenging Flood on Medicaid and food assistance cuts, his broader voting record, and the implications of the bill for Nebraska’s most vulnerable.
Flood, who won reelection in 2024 with nearly 78% of the vote in Seward County — outpacing Donald Trump’s performance there — found himself defending his decisions before a constituency that had overwhelmingly supported him. The Nebraska Democratic Party had urged its followers to attend and confront the congressman, and the crowd followed through.
At one point, a participant accused Flood of being a fascist and demanded to know whether he would support impeaching Trump. Flood pushed back, saying, “I get that it’s an applause line when you call me a fascist, but I’m not. I’m an American, and I’d never call you something like that.”
Another attendee accused him of breaking promises to protect healthcare, pointing to his support of the bill, which includes deep cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Flood defended his vote, asserting that Nebraska doesn’t offer public benefits to undocumented immigrants and that the cuts were aimed at preventing such expenditures. He then turned the issue back to the audience: “Do you want illegal immigrants to get tax-funded benefits?”
The crowd responded with a resounding “Yes.” Flood replied, “That’s not the majority opinion of most Nebraskans. Next question.”
This wasn’t the first contentious meeting Flood has faced. In March, he encountered similar criticism at a town hall in Columbus. With the political climate intensifying since Trump’s return to office earlier this year, GOP leadership has reportedly urged members to avoid in-person forums — advice Flood has continued to disregard.
A spokesperson for Rep. Flood did not respond to a request for comment.
