GOP lawmakers defending Trump bill shouted down by protesters
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U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, center, during a press conference Thursday at the state Capitol in Denver. Photo: Andy Cross/Denver Post via Getty Images
Over shouting and chants, U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans stood in front of the state Capitol on Thursday and defended his support for President Trump's spending bill, touting efforts to extend tax breaks and purge waste from safety-net programs like Medicaid.
Why it matters: The first-term GOP congressman is looking to shift the conversation about Trump's "one big, beautiful bill" ahead of the 2026 election, where he will need to defend one of his party's most vulnerable districts in the northern Denver suburbs.
Driving the news: With U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Windsor) and other local Republicans at his side, Evans spent 50 minutes trying to recast the bill as "a win for Coloradans" and pushed back against TV ads and protests targeting him for his vote.
- Evans repeatedly emphasized the need for work requirements for able-bodied adults to receive Medicaid health insurance and SNAP nutritional benefits and the removal of people living in the country illegally.
- Other parts of the bill he celebrated included the extension of Trump's tax cuts, set to expire at the end of the year, a greater child tax credit, a $4,000 deduction for Social Security recipients and $46 billion for border security.
What they're saying: "We are being open and honest about what is in the bill," he told Axios Denver at the event. "You don't have to agree or like what I say. Nevertheless, we are here to lay out the facts."
Reality check: The Polis administration and Democratic legislative leaders anticipate an estimated 140,000 to 230,000 residents will lose Medicaid insurance as a result of the bill and that it will drive up uncompensated care at hospitals and increase health care premiums.
- Other provisions, such as eligibility checks every six months, will cost the state millions, lawmakers say.
- Also, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federal Medicaid benefits but may receive them from the state.
The other side: In the crowd, Harlen Ainscough, 77, held hand-painted protest signs and joined dozens of demonstrators who booed, chanted and shouted at Evans as he spoke.
- "We wanted just to let him know we are here ... and holding him accountable for voting for the 'big beautiful bill,'" the Thornton resident said.
The bottom line: The White House's spending bill is an early fault line in the 2026 elections, and how it plays out in the minds of the voters may determine Evans' reelection prospects.