JOHN HANNA

PALCO, Kan. (AP) — Sen. Jerry Moran faced tough questions about Republican efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act on Thursday at a town hall meeting in his home county that should be friendly territory.

Moran drew some applause when he said he opposed the version of the bill written by Senate Republican leaders because of its impact on rural health care.

“I will choose country over party. I will choose Kansans over party,” Moran told an overflow crowd of about 150 people spilling outside a room with a capacity of less than half that in Palco, population 300, and about 270 miles (435 kilometers) west of Kansas City.

Crowd intently listening to @JerryMoran on this important issue of whether or not 120,000 Kansans should lose healthcare #ListenMoran #ksleg pic.twitter.com/ob5SGDGEN4

— David Jordan (@JordanDavidJ) July 6, 2017

Some audience members drew applause for advocating government-run health care like the Medicare program for the elderly.

But the event was in Rooks County, and President Donald Trump won the county with 84 percent of the vote last year. Moran grew up in nearby Plainville.