|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
by MARK POWELL
***
In the waning days of any statewide political campaign, three things matter above all else. Polls (which are scrutinized closer than fortune tellers divining tea leaves), the campaign calendar (which is more important now than ever in the era of early voting), and final pre-election campaign finance disclosures (which reveal how much cash each candidate can spend in the race’s most pivotal phase).
Welcome to the ‘Show Me The Money’ stage of this long marathon – which will reach its first inflection point on June 9, 2026, the day of partisan primary elections in South Carolina.
That inflection point is particularly critical for candidacies running on financial fumes, as the pre-election reports show which campaigns are capable of unleashing blitzkriegs of television, digital, and direct mail advertising in the hopes of making one last pitch to undecided voters – or one last swipe at a rival.
And which campaigns aren’t…
The current Republican gubernatorial primary is a bit atypical. While it’s not unusual to have a wealthy candidate seeking public office – one willing to pay whatever it takes to secure a prominent position – it’s less common to have three in the same race.
***
Congressman Ralph Norman has made millions as a real estate developer. Lieutenant governor Pamela Evette has made millions running a DEI-friendly human resources company. Lowcountry businessman Rom Reddy has made millions doing… something.
And if recent campaign expenditure reports are accurate, all three candidates are willing to unload the saddlebags if it means pushing them across the finish line.
Getting back to the official paperwork… the final round of campaign reports covering the mad dash to the finish line (April 1 to May 20) were due this week. Let’s look at what each campaign filed, in alphabetical order…
***
***
PAMELA EVETTE: Long-serving chief executive Henry McMaster’s hand-picked successor, Evette – a top tier contender – reported raising $1.1 million during the pre-election period; $402,015.21 of which was cash contributions. She also took out another loan – this one for $700,000 (making her total loan amount a cool $1 million). Evette also spent heavily during the recent period, with reported expenditures totaling $1.5 million. Evette reported having over $552,000 on hand at the end of the quarter, but her ability to self-fund means she can invest more into her bid if she so chooses.
JOSH KIMBRELL: A scandal-scarred state senator trailing distantly in almost all polls, his last election report – submitted April 20, 2026 – showed him with only $22,000 on hand.
NANCY MACE: South Carolina’s first district congresswoman, Mace is another top tier contender. Her latest report listed $360,000 raised. At the same time. Her campaign spent nearly $415,000, leaving her with a balance of just over $744,000 for the race’s home stretch.
RALPH NORMAN: The Palmetto State’s fifth district congressman, Norman reported cash contributions of nearly $150,000 during the final pre-election period – along with a $2.25 million loan (bringing the total he has loaned to his campaign to $3.75 million). At the same time, nearly $3.8 million was spent. Norman reported having more than $191,000 in his coffers at the end of the period, but like Evette he can replenish his stores as needed.
ROM REDDY: A Lowcountry businessman and activist, Reddy is a second tier candidate making a move on the top of the field. He reported zero cash contributions, preferring to dip into his own pocket to the tune of $3,800,000 – on top of the $2 million he originally fronted his campaign. During the period, Reddy spent just over $4 million, winding up with a little more than $328,000 in available cash – but like Evette and Norman can
ALAN WILSON: The Palmetto State’s four-term attorney general, Wilson is arguably the front-runner in the race – finishing either first or second in the vast majority of polls. During the pre-election period, he raised nearly $330,000 in cash while spending $1.63 million. Wilson has $513,000 in available cash on hand for the stretch run.
***
RELATED | ‘WE’RE BOTH FRAUDS’
***
It’s important to note that these figures don’t include money that political action Committees (PACs) spend independently on behalf of candidates of their choice by supporting them, attacking their opponents, or both.
“So, you’re looking at $7 million collectively on the table going into the final inning,” a national Republican political strategist with no connection to any campaign in this race observed. “Now you see why they saw ‘money is the mother’s milk of politics.’ But the question is, is it too late?’
That’s a valid point, because early voting began on Tuesday. And it began with a bang, with turnout on the first day shattering previous records.
“If that pace keeps up,” the strategist continued, “the campaigns will have to spend more and more money just to reach an increasingly shrinking pool of remaining voters. Saving cash on hand for the close of a campaign was always money management at its finest. With early voting, it’s now become an art form.”
Add to that the ability of Reddy, and possibly Evette and Norman, to open their personal wallets even more.
“In the money game, it boils down to this: You’ve got one super-rich guy running against a rich man and a rich woman, with all three running against three other candidates of lesser means. But remember, at the close of a campaign, it’s not a question of who has the most bucks in the bank; rather, it’s who uses it wisely and most effectively.”
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
J. Mark Powell is an award-winning former TV journalist, government communications veteran, and a political consultant. He is also an author and an avid Civil War enthusiast. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? Email him at mark@fitsnews.com.
***
SOUND OFF…
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
