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| With Voters Riled Up, Both Parties Aim to Channel the Fury | With Voters Riled Up, Both Parties Aim to Channel the Fury |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — In the reddest of districts and the smallest of towns, a movement without a name has hurtled ahead of expectations. | WASHINGTON — In the reddest of districts and the smallest of towns, a movement without a name has hurtled ahead of expectations. |
| Its destination is unclear. | Its destination is unclear. |
| As members of Congress return this week from the first recess under President Trump — an exercise in masochism for most Republicans who held town hall-style events, and relief for the many more who did not — both parties are straining to make sense of the tumult back home. | As members of Congress return this week from the first recess under President Trump — an exercise in masochism for most Republicans who held town hall-style events, and relief for the many more who did not — both parties are straining to make sense of the tumult back home. |
| For Democrats, the long work of translating boiling constituent anger into local and national political results has just begun, seemingly buoyed more by outside progressive organizers than by leaders in Washington. | |
| “Oh, it will be sustainable,” the Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, said in an interview, adding that politically, the first month of the Trump presidency had been “better than our best expectations” for Democrats. “There’s no putting a cork in this bottle.” | “Oh, it will be sustainable,” the Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, said in an interview, adding that politically, the first month of the Trump presidency had been “better than our best expectations” for Democrats. “There’s no putting a cork in this bottle.” |
| Such optimism about what the early voter feedback may presage is dimmed by the reality that Democratic lawmakers return to work this week in a state of near impotence in the immediate term. | Such optimism about what the early voter feedback may presage is dimmed by the reality that Democratic lawmakers return to work this week in a state of near impotence in the immediate term. |
| More of Mr. Trump’s cabinet nominees will soon clear the Senate. More Obama administration policies will be tossed out. When the president addresses a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Democrats will find almost nothing to cheer. (Some have busied themselves weighing the merits of shaking the president’s hand.) | More of Mr. Trump’s cabinet nominees will soon clear the Senate. More Obama administration policies will be tossed out. When the president addresses a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Democrats will find almost nothing to cheer. (Some have busied themselves weighing the merits of shaking the president’s hand.) |
| At the same time, the protests have left Republicans with a more urgent challenge as they seek to demonstrate the fruits of one-party control in the White House and on Capitol Hill: determining whether the fury directed at lawmakers is more than anecdotal, and how to react accordingly. | At the same time, the protests have left Republicans with a more urgent challenge as they seek to demonstrate the fruits of one-party control in the White House and on Capitol Hill: determining whether the fury directed at lawmakers is more than anecdotal, and how to react accordingly. |
| Around every corner, it seemed, the resistance lurked last week, searching for a fresh target. | Around every corner, it seemed, the resistance lurked last week, searching for a fresh target. |
| Constituents swarmed safe Republican turf — in Tennessee and Iowa, Georgia and Montana — even packing a coffee shop in Fargo to heckle a North Dakota congressman who recently won re-election by 45 points. | Constituents swarmed safe Republican turf — in Tennessee and Iowa, Georgia and Montana — even packing a coffee shop in Fargo to heckle a North Dakota congressman who recently won re-election by 45 points. |
| One woman in Kentucky achieved a special kind of catharsis: shouting at Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, over health coverage for coal miners, among other issues. “I hope you feel better now,” Mr. McConnell said, smirking. The woman said she did. | One woman in Kentucky achieved a special kind of catharsis: shouting at Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, over health coverage for coal miners, among other issues. “I hope you feel better now,” Mr. McConnell said, smirking. The woman said she did. |
| Perhaps most significant, Republicans have begun to acknowledge the depth of public concern about efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, a shift that could affect the prospects of their long-promised repeal. At a raucous town hall, Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a fierce critic of the law, allowed that the measure “has helped many Arkansans.” | Perhaps most significant, Republicans have begun to acknowledge the depth of public concern about efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, a shift that could affect the prospects of their long-promised repeal. At a raucous town hall, Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a fierce critic of the law, allowed that the measure “has helped many Arkansans.” |
| Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa said it was clear that the party had to proceed with care. “There’s more of a consensus among Republicans now that you got to be more cautious what you’re going to do,” he said after one spirited event. | Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa said it was clear that the party had to proceed with care. “There’s more of a consensus among Republicans now that you got to be more cautious what you’re going to do,” he said after one spirited event. |
| Other Republicans worried that their peers were beginning to lose their nerve. | Other Republicans worried that their peers were beginning to lose their nerve. |
| “There are, in my opinion, a significant number of congressmen who are being impacted by these kinds of protests, and their spine is a little bit weak,” Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama told a local radio station. “And I don’t know if we’re going to be able to repeal Obamacare now, because these folks who support Obamacare are very active. They’re putting pressure on congressmen, and there’s not a countereffort to steel the spine of some of these congressmen in tossup districts around the country.” | “There are, in my opinion, a significant number of congressmen who are being impacted by these kinds of protests, and their spine is a little bit weak,” Representative Mo Brooks of Alabama told a local radio station. “And I don’t know if we’re going to be able to repeal Obamacare now, because these folks who support Obamacare are very active. They’re putting pressure on congressmen, and there’s not a countereffort to steel the spine of some of these congressmen in tossup districts around the country.” |
| Mr. Schumer noted that just weeks ago Senate Republicans had hoped to pick off red-state Democrats in their effort to overhaul the health care system. That talked has faded, at least somewhat. | Mr. Schumer noted that just weeks ago Senate Republicans had hoped to pick off red-state Democrats in their effort to overhaul the health care system. That talked has faded, at least somewhat. |
| He placed the odds of the health care law’s survival at “significantly greater than 50 percent.” | He placed the odds of the health care law’s survival at “significantly greater than 50 percent.” |
| Looking further ahead, leaders of the Democratic Party, eager to harness the energy they have done little to generate themselves, say they are seeing uncharacteristic constituent interest in local races — including among citizens hoping to run as candidates themselves — at every level. | Looking further ahead, leaders of the Democratic Party, eager to harness the energy they have done little to generate themselves, say they are seeing uncharacteristic constituent interest in local races — including among citizens hoping to run as candidates themselves — at every level. |
| The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said it had held more than 100 “meetings or serious conversations” with potential recruits for the 2018 cycle. Since January, the group said, 1.2 million new people had been added to an online donor list. | The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said it had held more than 100 “meetings or serious conversations” with potential recruits for the 2018 cycle. Since January, the group said, 1.2 million new people had been added to an online donor list. |
| Officials predicted that this degree of engagement would persist, but at this point their confidence is born more of hope than long-term evidence. | Officials predicted that this degree of engagement would persist, but at this point their confidence is born more of hope than long-term evidence. |
| “I have every reason to believe that this is going to continue for the next couple of years,” said Dan Sena, the committee’s executive director. | “I have every reason to believe that this is going to continue for the next couple of years,” said Dan Sena, the committee’s executive director. |
| “When we think about 2010,” he continued, referring to the steep midterm losses for Democrats under President Barack Obama, “what most of us forget is it started in 2009.” | “When we think about 2010,” he continued, referring to the steep midterm losses for Democrats under President Barack Obama, “what most of us forget is it started in 2009.” |
| Mr. Sena was asked if this meant he viewed his cause as a descendant of the Tea Party, a comparison that has rankled some Democrats. | Mr. Sena was asked if this meant he viewed his cause as a descendant of the Tea Party, a comparison that has rankled some Democrats. |
| “Uhhhhh,” he said, before a lengthy pause. “I’m not sure.” | “Uhhhhh,” he said, before a lengthy pause. “I’m not sure.” |
| In interviews at town hall-style events across the country during the recess, attendees dwelled little on what to label themselves, making clear that they viewed this early groundswell as the beginning of a long slog during Mr. Trump’s tenure. | In interviews at town hall-style events across the country during the recess, attendees dwelled little on what to label themselves, making clear that they viewed this early groundswell as the beginning of a long slog during Mr. Trump’s tenure. |
| Some said they had never before traveled to a town hall-style meeting. But at times, the gatherings featured a high degree of policy fluency, with constituents listing details of federal health care policy. | Some said they had never before traveled to a town hall-style meeting. But at times, the gatherings featured a high degree of policy fluency, with constituents listing details of federal health care policy. |
| Many attendees at meetings during the recess seemed to be taking their cues from a group called Indivisible, which was created by former congressional staff members after the election to “resist the Trump agenda.” With thousands of local offshoots reported, the effort has emerged as perhaps the most potent cog in the organized activist resistance to Mr. Trump. | Many attendees at meetings during the recess seemed to be taking their cues from a group called Indivisible, which was created by former congressional staff members after the election to “resist the Trump agenda.” With thousands of local offshoots reported, the effort has emerged as perhaps the most potent cog in the organized activist resistance to Mr. Trump. |
| “This level of participation was just not built into our lives,” Janene Smith, 35, of Charleston, S.C., said before an event in her home state featuring Representative Mark Sanford and Senator Tim Scott. “Now it is.” | “This level of participation was just not built into our lives,” Janene Smith, 35, of Charleston, S.C., said before an event in her home state featuring Representative Mark Sanford and Senator Tim Scott. “Now it is.” |
| Across the room, a peer, Martha Beck, recalled the last time she had sought such an active political role. “I haven’t done anything since the Nixon era,” said Ms. Beck, 65, a retired teacher. | Across the room, a peer, Martha Beck, recalled the last time she had sought such an active political role. “I haven’t done anything since the Nixon era,” said Ms. Beck, 65, a retired teacher. |
| And often, constituents seemed eager to dispel the suggestion from some Republican lawmakers that people were being paid to protest at their events. | And often, constituents seemed eager to dispel the suggestion from some Republican lawmakers that people were being paid to protest at their events. |
| At a forum held by Representative Tom Reed in western New York, Susan Meara, 63, and her husband, Tom, 65, brought a sign to erase any doubts. “I am not being paid to be here,” it read, “but you are, Mr. Reed.” | At a forum held by Representative Tom Reed in western New York, Susan Meara, 63, and her husband, Tom, 65, brought a sign to erase any doubts. “I am not being paid to be here,” it read, “but you are, Mr. Reed.” |