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It’s a good time to be a Republican candidate in South Carolina. Not only do they hold the governor’s mansion, the lieutenant governor’s office, six of the seven statewide elected posts, and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature, but new numbers show that they have a significant financial advantage going into this November’s general election.
Figures obtained exclusively by The Palmetto Scoop showed that the SCGOP has $727,256 combined cash on hand, compared to an estimated $228,863 for state Democrats. That half-million dollar lead will certainly help bolster Republican efforts and guarantee the party’s candidates major success this year. And it likely offsets the theory that massive Democrat turnout in response to the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama could end the Republican’s majority rule in South Carolina.
“We will have the resources needed to carry our State for the Republican presidential nominee, re-elect Republicans to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House, expand our conservative foothold at the General Assembly and elect Republicans to local offices across South Carolina,” SCGOP Chairman Katon Dawson said. “We will also have the resources needed to counter the radical forces of liberal special interest groups that attempt to influence South Carolina elections this year on behalf of national Democrats.”
For Democrats looking to pick up a legislative seat, the numbers are even more ominous.
Senate Republicans reported nearly $3 million cash on hand, while their Democratic counterparts have less than one-third that amount. The Senate Republican Caucus campaign account also noted having $308,498. The Senate Democrat Caucus campaign account came in at $43,360.
House Republicans enjoy a similar surplus. Their $2,398,281 cash on hand gives them more than a $2 million advantage over House Democrats. The House Caucus campaign accounts are a little closer than in the Senate, with $304,089 for Republicans and $148,220 for Democrats.
And none of these figures take into account the astronomical $4.74 million in the campaign war chest of South Carolina’s Senior U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. So best of luck to Democrats this November, because they’re really going to need it.
Here’s how the state party numbers break down:
Republicans:
- $584,798.55 in the federal account.
- $11,191.30 in the state campaign account.
- $131,265.75 in the operating account.
- SCGOP received $250 in 2007 in transfers from other/affiliated party committees to the federal account (the Indiana Republican Party bought 1 debate ticket for the May debate). Line 12 on the FEC year-end report.
Democrats:
- $118,389.97 in the federal account.
- $3,932.20 in the state campaign account.
- $106,541.44 in the operating account.
- SCDP received $120,430.74 in 2007 in transfers from other/affiliated party committees to the federal account (including $32,726.08 from the DNC and $65,000 from the Association of State Democratic Chairs). Line 12 on the FEC year-end report.
- The DNC pays the full salary for 4 SCDP staffers: Lance Jones (Regional Field Director), Cherie Abee Marbrey (Upstate Regional Field Director), Cedric Jackson (Regional Field Director), Jay Parmley (Technology Director). There are 8 paid SCDP staffers.
I am hoping that Lindsey Graham can be Mac’s running mate but no one else seems to think so but I can wish. i think that Senator Graham would be a great Vice President and he has already proven time and again how loyal and helpful he is.
This is news?
Senator Graham is neither loyal nor helpful. Republicans may have a lot of money, but I believe as we have seen with Romney, that money does not buy the job one wants and drools over.
It would be a travesty to America for Senator Graham to be put in the VP office. People should understand him better. In my opinion , Graham would be far worse than Cheney. And in case people in SC don’t know it, the majority of Americans basically hate Cheney.
Lindsey Graham has allowed and promoted and protected , the Social Security Disability system , especially the Columbia SSA office, ignoring their own disability court awards in my case. So as a disabled person who voluntarily went to work for eleven years with my lifelong chronic disabling disease, when I reapplied for disability due to extensive medical problems that kept me from working, that order declaring me disabled got ignored. Senator Graham doesn’t seem to think that is a problem. He thinks it’s “American” for me to still be begging to get my case closed appropriately at the five year mark. I have unaccounted for money paid out in my middle and last name, loss of funds, been made to ask twice to have my information considered and generally have been discriminated against to no end. I have even been charged two and three premiums every month by Community Care RX ( Medicare Part D) and enrolled in two plans and had essentially NO coverage at the drug store last year. I do not believe this is an error. I believe since the company continues to state that over ten thousand dollars was paid out in my behalf last year, that someone is accessing this benefit in my name or SSN.
You see, Congressman Wilson reported that my entire medical file was lost at SSA. SSA will not tell me where it has been, but eventually did produce it, however, I lost my Appeal opportunity due to this lost file. There is no end to my problems but our elected Republicans think it’s ok to do this to me. I know it would not be ok if SSA did this to their family members though. So two Americas…. yes indeed for Mr. Graham and his rich friends.
This has been the most abusive process I have ever been forced to endure. Senator Graham refuses to assist . He thinks it’s ok for the Inspector General at SSA to ignore these problems. He is allowing me to be severely abused to the point of a PTSD diagnosis. He is making me participate in Fraud and Abuse.
And I am left wondering if Judges can now void divorce orders too?>?>? Or any other orders??
It would be wise to report and understand how Senator Graham allows and encourages abuse of South Carolina’s most vunerable citizens.
I’d be happy to share my story with anyone willing to listen. I believe Senator Graham is in large part responsible for me losing my home, my mind and my rights as a United States citizen.
Do you really believe he would help you? Think again. He helps only big money donors and his buddies in the Good Ole Boys Club and my case proves that point in a big and major way. So if you are not rich, Lindsey won’t help you either. He is NOT loyal nor is he helpful. He has participated in ruining the quality of my life and he is in no way fit to serve as the Vice President of the United States of America. He discriminates and frankly America needs no more of that.
We are going backwards in time with people like Graham in office.
Pray you don’t get sick.
Dawson and Sanford have sold our GOP souls for cash and glory…and this is all they got?
I think they sold us kinda cheap…