SUNLIT UPLANDS: Another County GOP Organization Censures Lindsey Graham

The Fairfield County Republican Party last night voted 82% to 18% to censure Senator Lindsey Graham for "his repeated comments and votes against our party platform." In the following message, Fairfield County Republican Chairman Kevin Thomas urges fellow Republicans statewide "to bring this resolution to censure Senator Graham to your county party and endorse one of his opponents, a candidate more like Senator DeMint and less like Senator Graham."

SCGOP Members,

I hate having to write this email but my convictions make me feel obligated to do so. Last night the Fairfield County Republican Party, at a regular monthly meeting, voted 82% for and 18% against censuring U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham for his repeated comments and votes against our party platform.

I know some of you are supporters of Senator Graham and others of you feel that censures are a waste of time. I once was a supporter of Senator Grahams, but when he time after time strays from our party platform, we felt that we must show our displeasure with his actions. Earlier this year, I met with Senator Graham’s staff in Greenville and requested that he meet with the Fairfield County Republican Party. After numerous follow ups I almost gave up. At the end of the summer as I began to schedule Senator Graham’s primary opponents to speak to the FCGOP, I again requested Senator Graham to speak to our party. I was told that my request would be sent to his scheduler. After I attended a telephone town hall in which every phone call was an “I love Lindsey” caller, I felt frustrated and unable to communicate my displeasure with our Senator. I have communicated my displeasure of Senator Graham to his staff but wanted to communicate it to him in person as did many of our members. When Senator Graham finally began to have a few town halls/public meetings, they were either too far from Fairfield County, announced last minute or allowed only a few connected people to attend. I and the members of the FCGOP were discouraged with Senator Graham’s failure to be accountable to his voters, so we took the only action we felt we could to let the Senator know that we were unhappy with his repeated disregard for his constituents.

As I have discussed this issue with several of you, the question has come up; can we endorse someone other than the incumbent in the Republican Party? I spoke with SCGOP Chairman Matt Moore and he said unless county party rules prohibit it, yes we can endorse in a primary. Chairman Moore was fair and by the books when we discussed this issue. As you may recall in the Presidential Preference Primary many of you elected to endorse a candidate. Although you can make a valid point that endorsements are worthless, they are a way to publicly show your support for a candidate and for candidates to gain a little momentum.

I am a conservative before a Republican and I encourage each and every one of you to bring this resolution to censure Senator Graham to your county party and endorse one of his opponents, a candidate more like Senator DeMint and less like Senator Graham.

Respectfully,