I knew it would be “zesty.”

I did not expect this much zest.

I’ll give her credit for staying on message and even-keeled, though. Not easy to do in a room this hostile. Watch the two clips (both posted by a very pleased RNC), then read on.

Was the room hostile, though? The protesters were noisy but according to the NYT and two local Michigan outlets, most of the attendees were supportive:

Dozens of angry Trump supporters bearing “Impeach Slotkin, Keep Trump” signs shouted down Ms. Slotkin, a first-term congresswoman, at a packed town hall-style meeting in a university ballroom, chanting “Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Elissa Slotkin has got to go!” and “One-term congresswoman!” and “C.I.A. Hack!” — a reference to Ms. Slotkin’s past work as a C.I.A. analyst…

But the voices on the other side, though not nearly as loud, were present in force. Most in the crowd of about 400 people who gathered here on Monday leaped to their feet and applauded when Ms. Slotkin announced her intention to vote “yes” on Wednesday when the House holds its vote on the articles of impeachment.

Attendees talked amongst themselves as well, of course. Fun snapshot of America 2020 here:

2/2 pic.twitter.com/kJzcsgMmvy

— *Jason Colthorp* (@JasonColthorp) December 16, 2019

Trump won Slotkin’s district by nearly seven points in 2016 so her political career is likely on borrowed time unless the president’s polling tanks for reasons unrelated to impeachment next year. I’d love to know what Slotkin thinks in hindsight of that op-ed she co-wrote in September urging House Dems to consider impeachment over Ukraine. It was written during the first flush of news reporting about the matter, when Democratic opinion in favor of impeaching was beginning to crest. Slotkin caught that wave and rode it … until it petered out, leaving her splashing around. If she had to do it over again, would she have kept her name off the piece? Without that byline tying her to the impeachment push, she would have had a bit of freedom to vote against impeaching Trump after the polls weakened. As it is, she was stuck owning her decision. Some mistakes can’t be undone.

Coincidentally, Axios has a story out today about a focus group on impeachment that was conducted recently in Saginaw, Michigan. Saginaw’s in a solid red district, more Republican than Slotkin’s own district, but it happens to neighbor hers to the north. Axios’s verdict: The electorate there, which supported Obama solidly in 2012 against Romney and Trump narrowly in 2016 against Hillary, is now solidly pro-Trump.

These voters hate the fact that House Democrats are moving toward impeaching the president. They call it a distraction from the issues that would actually improve their lives, like preserving Social Security, cracking down on illegal immigration, and keeping jobs in the U.S.

“I think she’s wasting a lot of [taxpayer] money on a ghost chase,” said Chad Y., a 43-year-old Obama/Trump voter, of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “The money she’s spending on that could go to help the homeless or go towards health care.”

Another participant, 73-year-0ld Michael G., said Democrats’ focus is in the wrong direction. “Instead of working on policies and things that will help the people, they are just working to basically preserve their own position … [T]hey don’t really care about you and [me], I don’t think.”

In spite of all that, just two of the 10 members of the focus group were firmly committed to voting for Trump next year. Slotkin may not be absolutely doomed (yet), in other words. But she’s en route to Doomsville.