Last Monday evening, I had the opportunity to speak at the Greenville County Republican Party’s quarterly meeting, alongside a number of our federal, state, and local elected officials and candidates.
I spent the first part of my time giving everyone an update on some of the things we’ve accomplished on County Council over the past two years, along with a look at what lies ahead, particularly when it comes to growth, development, and protecting the character of our communities.
But I also wanted to share a message that I believe is especially important as we approach the November election.
One thing I’ve always appreciated about Republicans in South Carolina is that we are a passionate, patriotic bunch of people. We care deeply about our communities, our state, and our country. And we certainly aren’t afraid to speak our minds!
Of course, sometimes that same passion can make it a little difficult for us to get along with one another.
We have different opinions, different approaches, and occasionally different ideas about what being a Republican ought to look like. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Healthy disagreement is part of what makes our system work.
But there is a difference between disagreeing on an issue and allowing those disagreements to distract us from the things we actually have in common.
I was encouraged to hear that several of the other speakers, representing different levels of government, shared a similar message about the importance of coming together.
I’ve never believed that I need to involve myself in every political disagreement or choose a side in every internal party battle. I would much rather spend my time finding common ground, building relationships, and working with people who genuinely want to make a difference.
That’s the approach I’ve tried to take in public service, and it’s one I intend to continue. Greenville County has a number of Republican clubs, organizations, and groups, and I welcome opportunities to visit, participate, and work with all of them. We don’t have to agree on every issue to treat one another with respect or accomplish something worthwhile together.
And with an important election just a few weeks away, I offered the crowd a little compromise.
If we Republicans can’t agree on everything, maybe we can at least agree to disagree until November 4th!
After the election, I’ll gladly grab some popcorn, find a comfortable seat, and watch everybody resume arguing with one another. But between now and November 3rd, perhaps we can put a few of those differences aside and remember what brought us together in the first place.
I appreciate the Greenville County Republican Party for the invitation and the opportunity to share a few thoughts, and I enjoyed hearing from the other speakers and visiting with so many familiar faces.
My only complaint about the evening is that I wish somebody had told me my jacket was about two sizes too big before I got up there to speak! Looking at the pictures afterward, apparently I was prepared for a little more growth than even Greenville County is experiencing!
