Prayers, politics and pride filled the halls of Pinal County Cowboy Church Wednesday night.

Well-known state and national conservative politicians and think tanks took part in a town hall event about frustrations around federal issues. More than 300 people flocked to hear the group at the Casa Grande church.

Panelists included U.S. Reps. Eli Crane, Andy Biggs of Arizona’s 5th congressional district and Matt Gaetz of Florida’s 1st congressional district, as well as former Breitbart editor Raheem Kassam and former Donald Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon. Radio host Garret Lewis of Tucson-based KNST 790 AM emceed the political event.

Crane, a Republican who represents Maricopa in the state’s 2nd congressional district, helped bring the group to his constituents.

“It’s tough to get that caliber of people together any time,” Crane said. “But, at the end of the day, people got to ask questions and told me they enjoyed it, they appreciated it. That’s to me always the indicator of how the event went.”

‘We’re at war’

Panelists spoke for two hours on various hot-button conservative issues, including immigration, border security, federal spending and Colorado’s recent Supreme Court ruling disqualifying Trump from the 2024 presidential election.

Overall, the topics emphasized a sense of frustration and anger among the conservative panelists and audience.

Biggs spoke about his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border the previous day, where he described watching immigrants enter the country through cut fencing.

“Here’s a group of 25 … and then another and then another,” he said. “It’s nonstop, it’s nonstop.”

“We’re at war” was the main rallying cry from Bannon and Crane on the topics of immigration, religion and culture.

Gaetz, in the meantime, said the Republican party’s messaging, “should be shut down the border or we shut down the government.”

‘They’re for the people’

Church pastor Tim Pruit said the town hall reiterated his own frustrations with issues such as border security and federal leadership.

“I am very concerned about the direction of the country, very concerned about the border,” he said. “They just showed how dire the situation is. There are too many professional politicians that will not risk their jobs and their income.”

That’s a perspective Crane said he often hears from his constituents.

“I think (those in the audience) were tuned into the same things that makes this group unique,” he said. “They’re tired of our own party not fighting. No matter what county I go to, generally they all feel the exact same way.”

However, Pruit admitted he hoped for more action and direction to accompany all the rhetoric that night.

“What I would like to more of is very specific action,” he said. “As a pastor and leader, I know that sometimes we’re afraid to be too direct because it can feel like we’re talking down to people. The clearer the directions, the easier it is to take action.”

Casa Grande resident Carla Neill said the chance of hearing Bannon and Crane speak drew her to the event. The other panelists were an extra treat.

“I’ve been watching Steve Bannon for years now and I’ve talked with Eli Crane several times now,” she said. “I support whatever they do because they believe in the people. They’re for the people, not for themselves.”

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