U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) walks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party’s presidential nomination. The RNC takes place from July 15-18. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA — U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace is leading the pack in fundraising among congressional candidates in South Carolina.
Campaigns have filed their final disclosures, showing how much they have raised, so far, over the entire two-year election cycle and how much they still have available to spend between Oct. 16 and Election Day. New dollar amounts in this final pre-election filing cover just two weeks since the third quarter filing.
Mace, who’s seeking a third term representing the coastal 1st District, has raised the most money this cycle at around $3 million. Her campaign has well over $600,000 still left on hand. Her Democratic opponent, Michael B. Moore, has raised just over $1 million, but also spent much of it — with a little more than $80,000 available.
Earlier this year, the 1st Congressional was considered the only district in the state with any potential to flip, according to the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan political analysis publication. But after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Legislature’s post-census redrawing of voting lines, the district’s status changed from “likely Republican” to “solid Republican” with a 7-percentage-point advantage for the GOP.
In the 4th District, incumbent U.S. Rep. William Timmons raised just under $2.8 million, about half of which he loaned to his campaign. He is ending the race with about $69,000 in cash on hand, having spent just $4,451 in the two weeks covered by the final disclosure.
Kathryn Harvey, the Democrat challenging Timmons, has raised just over $480,000 total this cycle. Her campaign spent much of it in the first half of October — almost $170,000, leaving her with under $85,000 in cash on hand for the final push.
The 4th District is rated as solidly Republican by the Cook Political report, a nonpartisan political analysis publication, with a 12-point advantage for the GOP.
Many of the other incumbents raised less.
U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, South Carolina’s only Democrat, raised over $2 million and U.S. Rep. Russell Fry raised over $1.4 million. But Reps. Joe Wilson and Ralph Norman each raised less than $1 million. All are expected to easily win re-election.
In the race to replace retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, Republican Sheri Biggs has raised over $950,000, including almost $400,000 she loaned her campaign. Her Democratic opponent Bryon Best has raised just under $50,000.
All of the incumbent members and most of the major party challengers running this cycle have also filed personal ethics disclosures as required by law.
Harvey has not, nor have the longshot Democratic challengers to Biggs, Norman and Fry. The Harvey campaign did not respond to a request for comment on why it’s missing.