While the welcome Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell received from the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce was warm, it was downright frosty outside, where hundreds of protesters gathered chanting, "Shame on Mitch! Shame on Mitch!"
The Kentucky Republican is spending the week in his home state, and on Tuesday, he spoke with the Chamber of Commerce about rolling back regulations and the Affordable Care Act. Protesters assembled outside hours ahead of McConnell's appearance, with one demonstrator, Debbie Rowe, telling WLKY she was there because she doesn't "feel that Mitch McConnell represents the people of Kentucky anymore. I think he represents Washington and his own pocket."
Safely inside the building, McConnell said that even though he disagreed with the protesters, he was "proud" of them for showing up. "They don't share my agenda, but I respect their right to be there," he told WLKY. President Trump doesn't share McConnell's sentiments, tweeting on Tuesday night that "the so-called angry crowds in home districts of some Republicans are actually, in numerous cases, planned out by liberal activists. Sad!" Trump must have missed McConnell's comments after his meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, when he said the president "would serve himself better by not having as many controversies surrounding his statements because it tends to take us off message."
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