Apr 28 2008
Ceips Way Ahead in Fund Raising
Thanks to contributions from a group of Republican state senators, businesses and political action committees, incumbent state Sen. Catherine Ceips has a huge campaign cash lead on her opponent, fellow Republican and former governor’s chief of staff Tom Davis, according to campaign finance records filed April 10.
As of March 31, Ceips raised $25,608 with $19,957 on hand. Davis raised $7,638 and took out a $15,000 loan. His campaign had $11,975 on hand as of when the documents were filed.
Ceips had 14 contributors: four individuals (including $5 from herself), three businesses, six special interest groups and $5,000 from the South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus, the maximum political parties can give.
The business donations:
•$1,000 — SCANA Corp., the parent company of South Carolina Electric & Gas
•$1,000 — South Carolina Society of Opthalmology
•$1,000 — Outdoor Advertising Association of South Carolina
•$500 — South Carolina Petroleum Marketers Association
•$500 — South Carolina Bankers Association
•$500 — Philip Morris, the Virginia tobacco giant
•$500 — South Carolina Beverage Association
•$250 — South Carolina Optometric Association
•$100 — Focal Point Vision in Beaufort
I am not a big fan of all of the special interests money in political campaigns, but I suppose it’s unavoidable. The negative of these donations is that you can be assured that the receiving politician is going to vote in their favor, even if it means going against what is best for the majority of constituents in the district and/or the state as a whole.
