LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. — Unhappy protesters shouted “shame on you” and “you work for us” at Sen. Mitch McConnell as his black SUV glided past them and inside a protective fence on the way to American Legion Park Tuesday.

Of nearly 1,000 protesters, about a dozen managed to slip into the luncheon to pepper the Senate majority leader with polite, though aggressive questions. McConnell ignored most, prompting taunts of “Answer the question, Mitch.”

McConnell, like many of his colleagues in Congress’ Republican majority, returned to their home states and districts this week to find energized resistance from people unhappy with President Donald Trump’s election and the rocky first month of his administration.

Most of what McConnell had to say to the local Chamber of Commerce was that while he’s not enthused about Trump’s continuous tweets, he’s happy with the new president’s agenda.

He also spoke up for protesters’ right to have their say, telling those at the luncheon that he’s even proud they take advantage of it.

“They didn’t like the result of the election,” he said, though he noted he was happy Democrat Hillary Clinton had carried only two Kentucky counties during November’s presidential election.

“Winners make policy, and losers go home,” he said, obviously gleeful about being on the winning side.

Rose Mudd Perkins of Georgetown complained that McConnell had promised to return coal jobs to Kentucky, but they haven’t come back. Meanwhile, miners afflicted with black lung disease will suffer as Republicans repeal the Affordable Care Act, she said.

Angry constituent gives Mitch McConnell the what for pic.twitter.com/tyHseJVtqd

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) February 21, 2017

Perkins reeled off a number of issues and questions, ending with, “I love the people of eastern Kentucky, and I love you, too, Mitch McConnell, and if you’ll answer that, I’ll sit down and shut up.”

McConnell welcomed the love: “Thank you, I need that.” But he declined to address the questions, instead thanking her “for the speech.”

Later asked why he didn’t respond, McConnell smiled and replied: “Oh…well, you know…there’s a difference between making a speech and asking a question.”

Outside the luncheon, McConnell’s respect for the right to protest didn’t seem to carry much weight.

Sheila Rice, who woke early to drive more than three hours from her home in Ashland, said she joined the crowd “because Kentucky needs health care” and the state’s senior senator has become “a suck-up for 45; I don’t like to say (Trump’s) name.”

Rice, a registered Republican for 50 years, said she turned Democrat two years ago because she’d tired of McConnell’s obstruction of President Barack Obama’s agenda.

She held a sign that read: “Hell hath no fury like a woman warned,” a reference to McConnell’s procedural move to silence Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on the Senate floor when she criticized Trump’s nominee for attorney general, then-Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions.

She also said she’s unhappy that McConnell hasn’t responded to her phone calls, emails and post cards to his office.

Betty B. Cook, a Democrat from Somerset, said she made the drive because “I want to stand up for what’s right, and Mitch McConnell doesn’t do what is right.”

Cook said McConnell should focus on helping Kentuckians by preserving Obamacare and being honest about the dim future of coal.

Kasandra Knight, also a Democrat from Somerset, said she and others are frustrated because McConnell hasn’t taken their calls or listened to their concerns.

“We want to talk to him about all that’s happening, and he’s not paying attention to Kentucky,” she said, adding that she wants to know shat’s being done to help out-of-work miners and what can be done for unemployed workers in the region.

His comments to the chamber finished, McConnell exited the legion hall by a side door and got in his SUV.

It drove away without confronting the protesters.

Ronnie Ellis covers the Kentucky Statehouse for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com, and follow him on Twitter @cnhifrankfort.