Key takeaways from CNN’s town hall with battleground members of Congress

Four House members from competitive districts — two Republicans and two Democrats — offered a preview of congressional budget battles and the midterm election season to come Thursday night in a CNN town hall.

Four House members from competitive districts — two Republicans and two Democrats — offered a preview of congressional budget battles and the midterm election season to come in a Thursday night CNN town hall. Republicans Mike Lawler of New York and Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania and Democrats Jahana Hayes of Connecticut and Derek Tran of California fielded questions from voters during the event moderated by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and Jake Tapper. For 90 minutes, they debated President Donald Trump’s universal tariffs, immigration crackdown, spending cuts, the future of the Department of Education and more. The lawmakers were not fully in lockstep with their parties. Mackenzie said the budget-slashing, Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency has at times moved “too fast, too quickly.” Lawler said he agreed with the Supreme Court that Trump’s administration should “facilitate” the return of a mistakenly deported Maryland man, adding: “He should be returned and obviously they should follow the law there.” They also weren’t, however, sprinting toward the middle ahead of next year’s midterm elections.