Trump supporters find unlikely common ground with blue state congressman at town hall: 'I love it'
However, three pro-Trump protesters who wandered inside the half-empty town hall found unlikely common ground with the Silicon Valley Democrat, who is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
Before taking the stage for his remarks, Khanna listened to the Trump supporters' concerns and told them about the legislation he proposed last week to codify Trump's executive order aimed at lowering prescription drug prices.
Khanna has secured three co-sponsors for his bill, including GOP Reps. Paulina Luna and Andy Biggs.
While some Democrat attendees looked on disapprovingly at the polite political debate breaking out at the back of the town hall, Khanna encouraged the Trump supporters to pull up a seat and stick around for his remarks. The Trump supporters did just that.
"I love it," Khanna told Fox News Digital ahead of his speech. "I love the First Amendment. They're peaceful. I walked by them. They were very civil. That's democracy, and they're welcome to come in."
When Khanna took the stage, he thanked the Trump supporters for their conversation and spotlighted how Americans can find common ground on lowering prescription drug prices amid persistent political violence in the United States.
Khanna said he was appreciative of the conversation in light of a terrorist attack on a fertility clinic in California earlier that day, the arson attack on Gov. Josh Shapiro's home last month and the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania last year.
Khanna's Allentown event was the first of two "Benefits Over Billionaires" town halls hosted in Republican-held congressional districts in swing state Pennsylvania this weekend. While Khanna was a long way from his home district, he was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Bucks County.
Republican Reps. Ryan Mackenzie and Brian Fitzpatrick, both likely to face competitive challenges to hold their House seats in 2026, represent the Lehigh Valley and Bucks County districts Khanna visited this weekend.
"He should be back home in his own district doing a town hall with his constituents, but I think he's campaigning for president most likely, so he's trying to get his name ID out there all across the country," Mackenzie told Fox News Digital before knocking on doors with AFP on Saturday.
Mackenzie accused Khanna of "going around, mugging for the cameras, trying to get clicks on social media and trying to boost [his] own profile," as he defended his own accessibility to his Pennsylvania constituents.
However, Khanna deflected Mackenzie's accusation about posturing for a political future when pressed by Fox News Digital.
"This is about saving the jobs at the Mack plant. This is about making sure we don't cut Medicaid. This is about making sure people aren't getting hurt in this community and around the country," Khanna said.
Democrats have railed against proposed Medicaid reform as a key component of Trump's "big, beautiful bill," but Mackenzie said his constituents are more concerned about eliminating waste, fraud and abuse from the program.
The California congressman, who spoke with members of the United Auto Workers union ahead of his town hall, called on Mackenzie and Trump to save at least 250 Pennsylvanians' jobs at Mack Trucks in the Lehigh Valley.
"The president's trying to bring back manufacturing. How about we just stop manufacturing from leaving? We need action here, and I wanted to highlight that," Khanna said, explaining his trip to Mackenzie's district.
While Khanna took aim at Mackenzie for the Mack Truck layoffs, an AFP digital ad truck outside the event spotlighted Mackenzie's support for extending Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as activists doubled down on support for their elected Republican leaders.
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