On March 19, the Washington Post published a feature story on what was happening in western Wisconsin: angry voters demanding answers from representatives who wouldn’t face them.

The story — “Have You Seen My Congressman?” — centered on the growing frustration with Rep. Derrick Van Orden and other Republicans who had stopped holding public town halls. CVI’s Empty Chair listening session was at the heart of the piece.

For a grassroots group not yet two months old, landing in the Washington Post was a milestone. But the real story wasn’t the coverage — it was what the coverage confirmed: the Chippewa Valley’s demand to be heard wasn’t going away.