Inglis vs. Hollings

Human Events, Aug 14, 1998

Bob Inglis, the lanky, smiling congressman from the 4th District of South Carolina, represents a unique area. It's the No. 1 textileproducing area in the United States and also has Michelin's North American headquarters near Greenville, and BMW's one American plant is next to the airport, just off 1-85.

Unions are almost nonexistent, and the work ethic here is strong. So is the influence of Greenville's Bob Jones University and that of the many evangelical and fundamentalist churches throughout the Fourth. Even the culture of mainstream churches has a certain bedrock conservatism to it.

All told, this is conservative turf-Bob Inglis country.

Inglis grew up in the Low Country of the Palmetto State, then excelled at Duke University and the University of Virginia Law School. In a thriving law practice in Greenville and with three small children, the 33-year-old Inglis had no thought of elective office in the beginning of 1992. But he changed his mind and decided to run for Congress, largely because he was so angry that he and his family and neighbors were represented in the House by decidedly nonconservative Democrat Liz Patterson, daughter of the late Sen. (1945-63) Olin C. Johnston (D.-S.C.).

Inglis campaigned hard for term limitsvowing to limit himself to three terms whether or not term limits were enacted-and turned down contributions from political action committees. With the enthusiastic help of social conservatives and an old-fashioned door-to-door style of grassroots campaigning, Inglis unseated three-termer Patterson by 50% to 48%.

Inglis has kept his promises, steadfastly resisting the Washington elites and seemingly inoculated from "Potomac fever." He sleeps in his office on an air mattress and he has spent virtually every weekend"of is tenure back home with "my people"

A member of the House Budget Committee, Inglis has also made good on his vow to oppose pork-barrel spending. For example, he voted against funding for the Southern Connector between I-85 and I-385 because it was part of what he considered a "pork-laden" appropriations bill. Attorney Inglis has also worked for the tort reform bill that President Clinton vetoed and was a cosponsor of the Church Arson Prevention Act.

After being reelected in 1994 and 1996 with more than 70% of the vote, he seemed to have a life career in the House for the asking. But he had made a promise to serve only three terms and promise-keeping is an integral part of Bob Inglis. In January 1997, reiterating his original "three terms I'm out" vow, he announced he was leaving the House and running for the Senate seat held since 1966 by Democrat Ernest Hollings.

"This really isn't a campaign against an incumbent. It is a campaign for a new Senate with a new point of view," he said, one that "rather than condescending to govern us, responds to the ideal that we govern ourselves" Inglis easily defeated two other Republicans to win the primary with 75% of the vote.

With the exception of his senior Senate colleague Strom Thurmond, Fritz Hollings is the most durable politician in the Palmetto State. At age 76, Hollings over the last 32 years has held virtually every important elective office-state legislator, lieutenant governor, governor and senator. In fact, he has been on the public payroll for all but four years of the last half-century.

In 1962, unable to seek a second term in the statehouse under the South Carolina Constitution, Gov. Hollings ran from the right against a fellow Democrat, veteran Sen. Johnston (father of former Inglis nemesis Patterson). In the only defeat of his career, Hollings lost badly to the man known as "Olin the Solon."

Three years later, Johnston died and thenGov. Donald Russell appointed himself to the Senate seat. Sensing voter anger over what they felt was Russell's high arrogance, Hollings saw his opportunity for a comeback and was right. He unseated Russell and has been in the Senate ever since.

In those days, Hollings was considered a conservative. But like so many who wore that label a generation ago and still remain Democrats, he in no way could be called a conservative today. His lifetime American Conservative Union rating is 41%, but he had a miserable 8% just last year. Hollings has voted against the ban on partial-birth abortions, for hiking the minimum wage, and for opening relations with North Vietnam-all votes that are un-South Carolinian and unlike those that would have been cast by a Sen. Bob Inglis (R.-S.C.).

The times and politicians have changed in South Carolina, and conservative support can make it "Sen. Inglis" this year.

(Inglis for Senate, 902 F Gervais St., Columbia, S.C. 29201; 803-988-0098)