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‘Fowl play’: Protesters of Rep. Erin Houchin speak to rubber chicken in Bedford

By Clayton Baumgarth

Posted March 20, 2025

The seat protestors spoke to during the empty chair townhall. (Clayton Baumgarth/WTIU News)

Protesters took their political grievances to a chair with a rubber chicken and pictures of congresswoman Erin Houchin on Tuesday in Bedford.

About 30 people at the StoneGate Arts and Education Center were pushing back on what they see as the congresswoman’s lack of availability to the citizens she represents.

Houchin’s team had canceled a regularly scheduled roundtable discussion, saying mobile office hours were being ‘put on pause.’ House speaker Mike Johnson has suggested Republican lawmakers stop doing town halls amid examples of backlash at the events becoming national news.

People in Bedford showed up anyway with signs saying ‘Where is Houchin?’ and ‘Missing: Erin Houchin.’

Retired Bloomington City Council member Susan Sandberg read a letter imploring Houchin to act.

“Please,” she said, “I beg you now to stand against the unconstitutional and inhumane actions of President Trump and citizen Musk and for the wellbeing and the fair treatment of our American workers, it is not too late to do this.”

IU student Josh Montagne asked Houchin to listen to her constituents.

“Erin, I'll tell you what Hoosiers want,” he said. “What they want is a working government, a government that works for them. They don't want to worry about whether their social security or Medicaid or Medicare is going to be taken away.”

After about two hours, protesters marched around the Bedford town square. Some people came out of nearby businesses to shout their support for Trump.

Houchin’s office did not respond to WFIU/WTIU’s questions.