Local Representatives React To President Trump's Tweets And 'Send Her Back' Rally Chant

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The ongoing dispute between President Trump and the four liberal women members of Congress seemed to reach a crescendo at his North Carolina campaign rally Wednesday night.

"Send her back. Send her back. Send her back," the crowd shouted.

That, of course, was in reference to the President's earlier tweet about Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who was born in Somalia.

Democrats like Congressman Mike Doyle pounced on a tweet and chant they characterized as racist.

"To hear people at that rally in North Carolina yell 'Send her Back' almost on cue the minute he mentioned her name, I think is just really disturbing to hear that happening in our country," Doyle told KDKA political editor Jon Delano on Thursday.

Even local Republican congressmen like Mike Kelly took issue with the chant.

"If I was there, I would certainly not be chanting that, a colleague [and] a member of Congress I serve with right now," said Kelly. "I don't think that serves anyone's best interest."

Fellow Republican Congressman Guy Reschenthaler wishes the focus was on something else.

"I'm not going to get into the President's head when he made those comments, but I can tell you again we are now engaged in talking about tweets and remarks," said Reschenthaler. "We need to bring civility back. We need to focus on real matters, and we need to focus on issues that make a difference in Americans' lives."

At the White House, the President praised those who chanted.

"These are people who love our country. I want them to keep loving our country," said Mr. Trump.

But noted he's not particularly pleased with that chant.

"I am not happy when I hear a chant like that. I've said that, and I said it very strongly," the President added.

This latest dispute comes just as the U.S. House overwhelmingly defeated a resolution to begin an impeachment inquiry of the President.

Locally, Doyle voted for the inquiry, while Kelly and Reschenthaler voted against, along with Democratic Congressman Conor Lamb.