GOP chair: Take stand against Graham

By Matt Garfield · The Herald
Updated 05/24/07 - 1:20 AM

In one of his first acts as chairman of the York County Republican Party, Glenn McCall is urging local Republicans to speak out against one of their own.

McCall sent a "call to action" e-mail this week asking party members to pressure U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C, not to support an immigration bill working its way through Congress.

The chairman also encouraged similar pressure against President Bush and U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., listing office phone numbers for all three.

"Please ask these elected officials not to reward those who have crossed our borders illegally by giving them a pass to stay," McCall wrote to 250 members signed up on the party e-mail list.

McCall's message is noteworthy because few, if any, other S.C. county chairmen have gone public in criticizing Graham, a leading advocate for an immigration bill that many conservatives assail as a form of amnesty.

McCall said he knows of no other chairman to take such a step.

"I'm not here to be a yes man," he told The Herald on Wednesday. "I'm here to do what's right for the party. There are folks saying if this happens, they'll never vote Republican, they'll never vote for him. And that's not what we need."

The bill calls for tightening border security, granting legal status to nearly all the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants and increasing penalties for employers who hire illegal workers.

Graham was booed last weekend at the state GOP convention for supporting the measure. On Wednesday, his office responded with an e-mail of its own to York County Republicans, saying that although the bill is "far from perfect," it would help "bring order to the immigration chaos."

"It's the best bill we could possibly hope to get," said Graham spokesman Kevin Bishop. "Keep in mind, what you're seeing among Republicans is not confined to South Carolina. Immigration is a divisive issue. There's no uniformity of thought."

McCall: Listen to the people

When he became chairman last month, McCall, 52, made clear that one of his top priorities would be keeping closer watch on the voting records of Republican elected officials.

Many party faithful have complained to him that their representatives don't work hard enough to advance the conservative agenda.

"Nobody thought when Glenn took this position that he was going to be a figurehead or a wilting flower," said Scott Huffmon, a political scientist at Winthrop University. "If you look at what the party activists are doing, he is not out of line with them. He's using his position to further that opinion."

McCall said he feels obligated to respond on behalf of his base -- particularly on a topic that ignites such fervent passion.

"I would vote for Lindsey," McCall said. "But on this issue, he and the rest of those that came up with this have not heard from the people. We are there to have our voice heard and be respected. When they step across the line, we're going to let them know."

Matt Garfield • 329-4063 | mgarfield@heraldonline.com

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