James Call
Shocked and disappointed by the votes of their newly elected congresswoman, more than 20 Tallahassee self-proclaimed progressives will meet with Gwen Graham Saturday to air their differences.
The North Florida Democrat narrowly defeated two-term U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, in part by promising to reach across the aisle and break a gridlock in Washington by working with the Republican majority. Her campaign message was, it’s the “North Florida Way” to roll up one’s sleeves to work together to get things done.
In her first week on the job, Graham set off alarm bells in Tallahassee’s more liberal circles by voting with Republicans on proposals they say weakens the Affordable Care and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Consumer Protection acts and a third vote in support of the Keystone Pipeline.
“A lot of people knocked on doors, worked phone banks and contributed what little money they could to support her,” said Amy Datz, a member of the Leon County Democratic Executive Committee who is among those disappointed by the Keystone vote.
Datz said she’s willing to give Graham the benefit of the doubt for her first year on the job but if she continues to vote the way she has, then Datz doubts Graham will be able to count on the level of support she received in 2014 when she runs in 2016.
Alliance for Retired Americans lobbyist Barbara DeVane considers herself one of Graham’s biggest supporters and harshest critics. The retired school teacher sees her role as an advocate to educate elected officials on her issues and provide them the information needed to vote correctly. DeVane had regularly organized protests at Southerland appearances and his congressional offices.
Her mails and Facebook commentaries alerting folks about Graham’s votes fell into Graham’s hands and DeVane was asked to get people together for a meeting with the congresswoman.
“They saw a lot of stuff I said,” said DeVane, who said a similar meeting she arranged between 50 Floridians and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in Washington, D.C., turned around Nelson on the ACA.
“We got him to reconsider his vote because we educated him that day about why he was wrong the way he voted the first time and why he should vote for health care for all people,” said DeVane.
And that’s what DeVane says she and about 20 others intend to do with U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham Saturday. The retired social science teacher has lined up experts on health care, the environment and economics to meet in an open dialogue and explain to Graham why they believe Graham is not voting the North Florida way.
“That’s the way it works. You have to keep the lines of communication open and sometimes you have to turn up the heat,” said DeVane.
The meeting is scheduled before Graham reenacts a congressional swearing-in ceremony at Tallahassee City Hall.
