Graham's Here To Help Incumbents

By Lee Bandy
SouthCarolina Insider

(3/28/08) Putting some distance between himself and GOP Gov. Mark Sanford, U.S. Rep. Lindsey Graham of Seneca assured Republican legislators he’ll support – even raise money for - any incumbent challenged in a primary.

The governor is said to be drawing up a “hit list” of Republican legislators who he’d just as soon see replaced. They are standing in the way of his efforts to reform government, lower taxes and improve the quality of life, he says.

Sanford has been highly critical of the General Assembly as whole for spending too much money and putting local needs ahead of state needs.

In the process, he has singled out individual Republican legislators for being less than loyal to the GOP platform.

The governor has threatened to recruit primary opposition for those members who don’t fall in line behind his program.

The filing deadline is Sunday.

It is not clear if the governor has been successful in finding candidates to challenge incumbent legislators.

The Republican primary is set for June 10.

Graham, meeting with House and Senate Republicans this week, told the members he wholeheartedly supports their re-election.

“I’ll raise money for you. I’ll say you’re bad if you want me. Whatever you want me to do. I’m here to help,” Graham said. “We’re a team.”

“I do believe an incumbent Republican who has led and wants to build the party needs to be supported,” he added.

Graham and Sanford have been long-time friends, both having served together in Congress. Graham also served one term in the state Legislature before moving onto Congress.

Graham said he supports Sanford and the job he has done. But he suggests this was not the time to be working against GOP incumbents. Instead, Graham said this was the time to unite Republicans against the “energy” of the Democrats.

“The only way we lose as Republicans…is to divide ourselves into different camps and lose sight of what we have in common,” Graham said.

“There can’t be a litmus test. I’m not looking for universal agreement as to tests of who I support. I’m looking for people who’ll work hard and who are honest and who I can agree with 80 percent of the time,” Graham said.

The senator has a problem with rank-and-file Republicans who feel he has sold out to the more liberal element in the party. They specifically accuse him of spending too much time in Washington with liberal lawmakers. Many say they will not vote for Graham.

Four Republicans are seeking to challege Graham in the June 10 primary

Joel Sawyer, Sanford’s spokesman, didn’t rule out the governor putting together a hit list of legislators he’d like to see defeated this year.

He said Sanford would pick and choose which candidates to back – if he endorses at all.

“There are a lot of incumbents that are doing a great job. There are a lot that aren’t. He hasn’t made a decision,” Sawyer said of the governor.

It is no secret that Sanford would like a General Assembly more receptive to his ideas.

He said that changing the Legislature is crucial to his agenda.

Sanford has denied targeting specific legislators. But no one believes him.

He knows how to play the game. You get a third party group to do your dirty work.

One of them is the S.C. Club for Growth, led by a former Sanford staffer. To date, it has already endorsed a handful of Republican challengers. More are expected next week.

State GOP Chairman Katon Dawson, a close personal friend of the governor, supports Sanford’s efforts to clean house.

The debate is healthy, he says.

Dawson insists he is staying out of the primary fray until filing which closes Sunday noon.

“Primaries are what makes a party very strong,” Dawson said. “In a lot of these cases, the primary is the general election.”