Haley, Sheheen in close cash run

CHARLESTON - Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Vincent Sheheen remains close to his GOP opponent, state Rep. Nikki Haley, in the race for campaign cash.

The state senator from Camden actually has raised more money than Haley since entering the race, with $1.73 million, according to fresh campaign filings with the State Ethics Commission.

Haley of Lexington has raised $1.41 million, but she raised more than Sheheen during the past three months, a period in which she went from a largely unknown candidate to the Republican nominee.

It's also a time when she made national headlines after she was dragged into a sex scandal when two Republican consultants claimed they had intimate relationships with her. Haley denied their claims, claiming they were politically motivated and surfaced only after she took the lead -- a lead she maintained through her June 22 runoff win against U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett.

The three-way Democratic primary was far quieter by comparison, and Sheheen won without a runoff.

Haley also showed more success raising money in the Lowcountry, which also is home turf for outgoing Gov. Mark Sanford, whose political approach is similar to Haley's.

Sheheen's biggest Lowcountry backers include lawyer Kenneth Harrell, who gave $3,500, while Palmetto Health Behavioral Holdings of Charleston gave $3,000.

Charleston lawyer Thomas P. Gressette Jr. and businessman Charles Way Jr. each gave Sheheen at least $2,000. Charleston lawyer David Pearlman gave Sheheen $1,500. Charleston lawyer Waring Howe, a former Democratic National Committee member, gave Sheheen $1,000. Charleston lawyers George Sink and Steven Goldberg also gave $1,000.

Sheheen's $3,500 supporters also include some of the state's most visible Democrats, including former Gov. Jim Hodges, state Sen. John Land and former Columbia solicitor Dick Harpootlian, whose law office also contributed $3,500.

Haley's biggest Lowcountry backer might be Ben Navarro, who runs the Charleston-based Sherman Financial Group LLC, one the country's biggest debt collectors. Six companies with similar names and a 200 Meeting St. address gave Haley the $3,500 maximum.

Retired Charleston businessman Bill Hewitt and his wife, Laura, also each gave Haley $3,500, and she received $1,000 from Charleston businesswoman Anita Zucker.

Charleston entrepreneur Nancy Snowden gave Haley $2,020, while two businesses that share her 63 Society St. address chipped in an additional $7,000.

Chad and Jena Walldorf of Sullivan's Island each gave Haley $3,500, as did the Mount Pleasant-based S.C. Club for Growth political action committee that Chad Walldorf chairs.

Haley's notable donors outside South Carolina include the campaign committee for Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who shares Haley's political philosophy and Indian-American heritage.

That committee gave Haley $3,500, as did the Virginia-based Indian-American Republican Political Action Committee and Republican Sen. Jim DeMint's campaign.

Sheheen received only a dozen contributions from outside South Carolina, and they added up to $6,600.

Haley raised $542,728 since April 1 and has $182,745 on hand as of early this month.

Sheheen, whose successful fundraising helped separate him from his primary field, avoiding a runoff, has raised $366,166 since April. He currently has a $262,473 war chest.

While their fundraising was relatively even, Haley had far more donors --about 2,200 compared with 540 for Sheheen.

Haley listed 343 supporters who gave her $10 or less. More than half of them gave $50 or less. Sheheen had 76 donors who gave him $50 or less.