PANAMA CITY — Rep. Gwen Graham held her first Bay County “open house” Friday on the heels of her first votes on several partisan issues.
Graham, D-Tallahassee, toured the facilities of Tyndall Air Force Base Friday morning before meeting with dozens of constituents at an open house in her new office at the Bay County Government Center. The occasion marks the first visit to Panama City since being sworn in as the first female to represent the Second District of Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives.
While some people showed up merely to welcome Graham and some to encourage her actions on topics like the future of Shell Island, other Graham campaign supporters appeared to express discontent with some of her recent votes.
“There was a recognition of my campaign pledge to be bipartisan,” Graham said. “I heard some issues people expressed with some stances I’ve taken in recent votes, but mostly people expressed excitement.”
Daniel Staples, of Panama City, donated funds and campaigned on Graham’s part. Staples came to the open house to express disappointment in some of Graham’s decisions since the November victory over incumbent Rep. Steve Southerland of Panama City, he said.
“If I wanted someone who would vote for the Keystone pipeline, I wouldn’t have campaigned for Graham,” Staples said. “I can understand voting across the aisle to break the gridlock, but some things you can’t budge on.”
However, some of Graham’s Bay County constituents were not surprised by her recent votes and would be disappointed if she had voted on party lines.
Graham “campaigned on the promise she would not vote along the party line,” said Mark Lipton, chairman of the Bay County Democratic party.
Lipton said issues like the Keystone pipeline and a roll back of Wall Street reforms were compromises expected of Graham, and those votes could favor the Democratic base.
“Unions favor the Keystone pipeline because it means work for them,” Lipton said. “If you can minimize the hazards of the pipeline, it is a good compromise.”
Graham said she has not been following which bills are Democratic or Republican-slanted, but simply voting in the best interest of the Second District.
“There’s not a perfect piece of legislation, but I look at the positives and negatives and thoughtfully vote in the best interest of my district,” Graham said.
Graham, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, toured Tyndall Air Force Base earlier in the day 325th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Derek France and the Commander of the 1st Air Force, Lt. Gen. William Etter. The House Armed Services Committee is responsible for funding and overseeing the Department of Defense and United States Armed Forces. On Friday’s tour, Graham listened to Col. France about how she can best represent the base’s interests in Congress.