WESTFIELD — The first time Ed O’Malley joined others at a rally outside Rep. Leonard Lance’s office, the congressman came out to speak with the protesters.
“He tried to sell the idea of replace and repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA),” O’Malley said.
That was in early January. O’Malley and other protesters have been coming to Lance’s office every week since then, including this Wednesday when more than 120 stood outside the North Avenue office to urge Lance (R-7th Dist.) to keep the ACA also known as Obamacare.
Lance, along with fellow GOP Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen of the 11th district, have became targets of repeated protests.
“Don’t replace. Don’t repeal. Leonard Lance we know you’re here,” yelled the protesters in the crowd with O’Malley, who held a sign that read “Don’t take my health care” on one side, and “Resist Trump on the other side, referring to President Donald Trump.
Lance was not in the office just as he has not been there since the first rally in January.
John Byers, a spokesman for Lance, said the congressman has been in Washington on Wednesdays when the legislative body has been in session.
Byers said Lance invited a small group of the protesters into his office during that first rally in January and shared his views on health care.
On Wednesday, Byers, in a statement, pointed to news reports of Humana Inc. pulling out of the ACA.
“Patients and families across New Jersey and the Nation are faced with fewer choices and higher costs,” Byers said. He said Lance “has long supported a better way that reforms and repairs our health care system by putting patients first.”
The weekly protests have been organized by the New Jersey Citizen Action. Representatives from Planned Parenthood joined the rally this week. People from across the district and from towns outside the district also joined the protest.
Connie Barrett came from her home in White House Station to express her need for the ACA as she battles cancer. Barrett said she had also participated in a rally against President Trump’s immigration policies, and was at the Women’s March in New York City just after Trump’s inauguration.
“That’s the only thing I can do. I can register my presence,” she said. Most of the protesters admitted they had supported Democrats.
However, Paul Frino of Fanwood said he voted for Lance the first time he ran for the congressional seat. Frino said Lance appeared to change platforms once he took office. Frino subsequently voted against the congressman, until Fanwood was put in the 12th congressional district.
Protesters also noted that Lance has scheduled a town hall for Feb. 22 at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, but there was a limit on the number of people who could attend the meeting and it was filled before they could respond on the congressman’s website.
Byers said a second meeting has been added for Feb. 25.
Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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