Representative reflects on time in Congress, discourse in Washington
When U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy goes to work in Washington, life isn’t too luxurious.
“I sleep in my office; I sleep on a couch,” Gowdy said.
Gowdy, who represents the Upstate, was speaking to a crowd of about 25 students on his experience as a USC School of Law student and his time in Congress.
But even just two days after he was re-elected to a second term, Gowdy said he was well aware of financial constraints of owning a second home in Washington, D.C.
He’s not alone, either.
“(Paul Ryan) is in the office right beside mine on a couch,” Gowdy said. “There are about 120 of us who do it.”
And when it comes to other congressmen, he said the idea that representatives don’t get along is largely a misconception fueled by the media.
“We don’t insult one another,” Gowdy said. “That’s what TV wants you to see ... The media decides what you hear.”
Still, Gowdy’s seen the bickering and name-calling, too.
Earlier this week, he said, he got a phone call from the youth minister of a local church who told him that the children of his church’s youth group had posted hateful comments on social media after the election.
The story underscored a principle Gowdy emphasized: that persuasion is more effective than name-calling.
“You want to win elections? Persuade,” Gowdy said. “If you want to persuade people, you must have a relationship with them — use facts, be credible and sincere and try to look at life through their prism.”
Alex Morgan, a third-year civil engineering student, thought the lecture offered good insights into life as a politician.
“It was very interesting to see the relationships that [Gowdy] has with other congressmen,” Morgan said.