I was trying to interview a young voter from Aurora when there was a jostling, then shouting at my elbow as a conservative attendee in a red-striped shirt lunged toward a female Democratic activist, who had argued with him about health insurance. The police hung back. Adversaries from both sides stepped in to diffuse the situation.

The mood was just as tense inside Prairie View High School, where Coffman’s town hall was underway. Coffman’s first question was from a woman in a pink Planned Parenthood shirt, who said it was impossible to have a meaningful dialogue with him. A short time later, Democratic activist Tom Sullivan drilled him about Russia: “You told us you were going to stand up to Trump,” he said as members of the audience held up signs that said “collusion.” A home health care worker told Coffman about a 93-year-old in her care who pointed to Ryan on TV during a discussion of Medicaid cuts and said “They’re trying to kill us.”

Audience members of both political persuasions yelled insults at questioners and one another – (“Shove it!” “Shut up!” “Answer the question!”) – as Coffman took sips of water and briskly walked back and forth across the stage, reflexively clenching his jaw as the microphone buzzed and squealed with static. Countless times, he noted his bipartisan work (his support for citizenship for some DACA recipients, his participation in a bipartisan health care working group, and membership in a “problem-solvers” caucus).

Toward the end of the contentious first hour, one woman tearfully told Coffman many problems stem from “the divide in this country” and intolerance between partisans.