BERNARDSVILLE - Town halls have been a tough subject for Tom Kean Jr.

He has not held an in-person gathering since beginning his congressional term in 2023, despite loud demands to do so from some of his CD-7 constituents.

Now things have gotten even more stressful. Speaker Mike Johnson has asked GOP House members to eschew live town halls because of a hostile response.

Kean, however, has scheduled a telephone town hall for March 26 at 6:30 p.m.

"During the town hall, I’ll provide you with an update on my recent work in Congress and answer questions directly from constituents," the congressman said in a release.

Kean's looming town hall was announced just prior to another protest Thursday that began at the local train station and continued with a march to the congressman's office a few blocks away.

Such gatherings are becoming common.

Speakers reviewed federal cutbacks and urged Kean to stand up to President Trump on behalf of his district.

One not so subtle sign suggested the congressman is missing a "spine."

One of the speakers, Laura Waddell, health program director at New Jersey Citizen Action, was asked about the town hall.

"We are not impressed," she said.

Another rally attendee called Kean's town hall "a farce."

I recall a telephone town hall the congressman held during his first term. There were no challenging questions and Kean's answers appeared scripted.

Whether the one forthcoming is going to be different remains to be seen.

After marching to Kean's office, some of the participants entered the office two at a time to make their views known.

Others stood outside.

At its height, there were close to 200 people amassed on both sides of Claremont Road. At one point, they chanted:

"When Trump says 'cutback,' we say fight back."

One wonders how many of those people will get to ask Kean a question next week.