AIKEN, S.C. — Aiken City Council on Oct. 12 put off a vote that would have renamed Aiken Regional Airport for the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham after more than an hour of mixed public and member reaction.
The draft resolution credits Graham with 31 years of service tied to the city and with helping secure federal money for an Instrument Landing System plus runway and facility upgrades. The airport’s name stays unchanged for now.
Some residents argued a politician’s name does not fit a public airfield and asked that any honor go to a local hero instead. District 5 council member Braylen Waldo opposed renaming the whole airport but backed exploring a terminal or runway tribute that keeps the city’s identity intact.
Alternatives raised in the chamber included a plaque on the grounds or naming a single runway or the terminal. Council aims to pick the issue back up Monday, Oct. 26.
Aiken Regional Airport is a city-owned general aviation field at 129 Aviation Blvd with two runways; Christopher McCauley manages the facility for the city. City Council sets policy for seven members under a 6-1 election plan with the mayor chosen at large.
