Republican Sen. Joni Ernst faced a number of agitated constituents at a town hall on Friday who expressed concerns that the Republicans' cuts to Medicaid under their major legislative effort to advance President Donald Trump's agenda would cause people to die.

Ernst in her remarks went on to accuse her critics of not wanting to “listen to me when I say that we are going to focus on those that are most vulnerable.

Democrats moved quickly to call attention to the comment from Ms. Ernst, a second-term lawmaker who is up for re-election next year.