SC GOP: the Grand Overdraft Party?

A surprising number of SC Republican candidates talk the party line about fiscal responsibility and living within your budget, but they don't mean themselves:

South Carolina Republican nominees for lieutenant governor and attorney general are heading into November in debt, giving their Democratic opponents an apparent advantage, according to campaign finance reports filed this week.

But Republicans discounted the lopsided balances Friday as the result of crowded primaries for open seats.

South Carolina's four Republican candidates for lieutenant governor spent nearly $3 million total on their quest for a job that pays less than $50,000 and is, at least by law, considered part-time. Two-term GOP Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer ran unsuccessfully for governor.

GOP businessman Ken Ard started the third quarter $300,000 in debt, while Democrat Ashley Cooper had $183,000 on hand. His campaign said that means Cooper has a 46-1 advantage over Ard.

But Ard said it's Cooper who has to catch up, since the primary race and runoff, along with his TV ads, gave him better statewide recognition. And he said being the nominee makes it easier to raise money, though he wished political races weren't so expensive.

Cooper, who worked for former U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings, had no primary opponent. He'd raised $250,000 by June 30 and put in $6,300 of his own money but has no debt. He's spent $78,000.

State GOP director Joel Sawyer said he looks forward to future filings.

"Obviously, after hotly contested primaries, people are taking time to rebuild their war chest," he said.

Ard had raised $403,000. He put $185,000 of his own money into the race and borrowed $300,000. He has less than $4,000 cash available.

The biggest spender in the race was former judge and state senator Larry Richter, who finished third June 8. He spent almost $1 million, after putting in $326,000 and borrowing $550,000.

Army reservist Bill Connor, who lost in the runoff, spent $621,000. His account shows a $75,000 negative cash balance, and outstanding loans of $42,500. Former state Insurance Director Eleanor Kitzman, who came in last, spent $143,000. Her balance was $1,500 in the red, and she owed $11,000.

In the attorney general's race, GOP nominee Alan Wilson is in debt following a three-way primary and runoff. Wilson had $64,600 cash on hand June 30. But he owed $82,900 on $333,500 he borrowed. He raised $488,500 in donations through June 30, but spent $763,300.

Democratic opponent Matthew Richardson has five times more cash available with $327,400. He had no primary opponent.

Wilson finished first in the June 8 primary with a lead of less than 2 percentage points. He won the runoff with 60 percent of the vote.

The three GOP candidates spent a combined $1.9 million for the chance to replace two-term GOP Attorney General Henry McMaster, who stepped aside for his unsuccessful run for governor.

South Carolina's attorney general makes $92,000 a year.