PARTY WEBSITE TO MONITOR FUNDS RAISED IN DEBT REPAYMENT CAMPAIGN

Former U.S. Ambassador and South Carolina House Speaker David Wilkins is taking his latest political role very seriously.

On Tuesday, Wilkins and the South Carolina Republican Party launched their “Milliken Match Thermometer” to track the amount of money raised to help the organization pay down its debt and become more environmentally friendly.

Last month, South Carolina textile and manufacturing magnate Roger Milliken joined SCGOP chairman Karen Floyd in announcing that he would make a dollar-for-dollar matching donation to the party. And two weeks ago, Wilkins was tapped to lead the SCGOP’s fundraising efforts.

“As fiscal conservatives, we know the importance of paying off debt,” Wilkins says in the video. “We understand that responsible leaders plan for the future, not just for the moment.”

The “thermometer” is no doubt a reminder that the Milliken Match campaign is an effort to make the SCGOP headquarters more “green.”

Floyd said the party will upgrade the facility to eco-friendly building standards known as LEED standards — which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — a concept introduced to the party by Milliken.

In total, the goal of the fundraising drive is $500,000 – including Milliken’s portion – to be raised by Dec. 7.