Ten days after the first organized protest against Georgia’s Representative for District 9 Andrew Clyde, residents of northeast Georgia took to Gainesville’s Downtown Square again on Friday.
Roughly 50 people were protesting, demanding a town hall with Clyde and raising questions about the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE’s) potential closure of the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) office in Gainesville.
The protest started at around noon and protesters were on the square until 1 p.m. with “why do you hide Andrew Clyde” chants being heard throughout the protest.
“I need my social security. It helps me buy groceries, helps me pay for seeds for my garden,” Dean, a resident and protester, said. “I believe he’s [Clyde’s] getting to the bottom of it, like he’s getting to the bottom of a cup of coffee. He’s in that restaurant.”
Dean was referring to Sweet Magnolia’s Cafe and Bakery, with reports that Clyde was inside of the restaurant. Another protester said she saw Clyde and spoke with him before he left out of the back.
One woman walking out of Sweet Magnolia’s said she was protesting due to concerns about her social security, pension, and 401 (k). She claims she spoke to Clyde about the SSA while inside.
“He said ‘well how do you know the Social Security is closed?’ I said ‘it was in the newspaper,’” she said. “And ‘oh, well, you can’t believe everything you read.’ And I basically said ‘I can’t believe anything you say.’”
Clyde’s team confirmed he was in Gainesville Friday to talk to constituents and he gave AccessWDUN a statement on the protests.
“I’m honored to represent the Ninth’s voice and fight for our shared values in Congress. I encourage folks to contact my office to share any comments, questions, or concerns they may have about my work on their behalf,” Clyde said.
Gainesville resident Harriette Taylor called it a shame that the Social Security office is potentially closing.
“We’ve had a Social Security office in Gainesville as long as I can remember, and I’ve been here a very long time,” Taylor said. “Where are our older citizens gonna be able to get services?”
Taylor expressed an interest in a town hall with Clyde, saying he should come and address their concerns.
White County resident Marilyn Langford was one of the organizers of the protest and cited social security as a top concern for her.
“If Clyde was here right now, I’d say ‘do your job,’” Langford said. “You are supposed to represent the constituents, and all you do is hide.”
“I hope you’re smart enough to know that you don’t touch Social Security benefits at all,” she added.
This comes after Republican lawmakers holding town halls have come under fire by constituents, including Georgia’s Representative for District 7 Rich McCormick’s town hall at Roswell City Council in February.
The Associated Press reported on March 4 that House Speaker Mike Johnson is encouraging Republican representatives to skip town halls for the time being.
When asked if she was hopeful of a town hall with Clyde, one resident said "not a snowball's chance in Gainesville."
