Campaign finance reports trickle in for 7th Congressional District race

Former lieutenant governor Andre Bauer hasn’t officially announced his candidacy for the 7th Congressional District seat, but financial reports show his campaign has the highest total of funds of the 14 candidates.

However, a closer look shows Horry County Council Chairman Tom Rice has raised the most in actual campaign contributions.

Tuesday was the filing deadline for 2011 year-end financial statements. According to the report he filed with the Federal Elections Commission, Bauer’s campaign funds are just under $302,000 for the fourth quarter in 2011. That figure includes a $150,000 personal loan the Republican candidate took out.

A press release sent Wednesday from Bauer’s campaign indicates he will officially announce his candidacy for Congress this month.

All of Rice’s 2011 fourth-quarter campaign funds are from contributions and totaled approximately $206,700.

The two candidates’ expenses for the fourth quarter are $33,270 and $29,263, respectively.

On the other end of the fundraising spectrum is Myrtle Beach area businessman Jim Mader, who amassed just under $1,100 in the fourth quarter and spent $617.

That amount doesn’t discourage him at all, as Mader said money is one of the major problems facing the country.

“That’s one of the reasons why I’m running,” Mader said. He recognizes that times are tough out there financially for lots of 7th District residents, and his campaign accepts any donations it is given, he added.

Mader has spent a lot of the campaign so far talking to people at nearby shopping centers. Whether Republican or Democrat, he recognizes that people on both sides are experiencing economic difficulties, and he’s grown tired of the political divide.

“We’re all Americans,” he said. “We’re all facing the same problem.”

With over $214,600 raised in the fourth quarter, Democratic contender Ted Vick has the second-largest campaign financial total at this point in the race. That amount includes a $50,000 personal loan.

Vick’s campaign spent $22,665 between Sept. 15 and Dec. 31, 2011, according to financial reports.

“People are sick of politics as usual,” Vick said in a written statement. “So far the others in this race are talking the same talk that got us in this mess.”

Florence attorney Jay Jordan’s campaign earnings for the fourth quarter were a little under $208,000, which includes a $95,000 personal loan. Expenditures were approximately $16,890.

Democratic hopeful and area attorney Preston Brittain had approximately $84,075 in campaign funds at the end of the fourth quarter, of which $5,000 came from a personal loan. Expenses totaled $3,616.

Those with no finance reports

Of the 14 candidates running for the 7th Congressional seat, only six have finance reports. And there are reasons why the other eight don’t.

Myrtle Beach City Councilman Randal Wallace, for example, just filed his statement of candidacy with the FEC on Jan. 3, meaning the Republican hopeful’s first report isn’t due for a few months.

Fellow GOP candidates Renee’ Culler, Chad Prosser and Mande Wilkes haven’t formally filed their paperwork as candidates with the FEC, so no reports have to be submitted. The deadline for filing a statement of candidacy is March 30.

Then there’s Republican Dick Withington and Democrats Parnell Diggs, Gary Stephens and Gloria Tinubu. All four have filed statements of candidacy, but their year-end campaign finance statements were nowhere to be found on the FEC’s website Wednesday.

An FEC official confirmed there were no finance reports for them, but said campaign committees who spend or raise less than $50,000 can file on paper as opposed to electronically. Those reports may not update to the website immediately.

Former candidates

He has already announced the end of his campaign, but state House Rep. Thad Viers still raised more than $100,000, including $13,000 in personal loans over the last two quarters of 2011.

Viers was the first to announce his candidacy for the 7th Congressional seat back in August, and the first to drop out of the race following his Jan. 6 arrest on a charge of first-degree harassment, a misdemeanor.

Viers is accused of having unwanted contacts with a 28-year-old ex-girlfriend through e-mail, phone calls and text messaging and showing up at her home and work. If convicted, he could face up to three years in prison. However, the representative’s attorney previously said his client has no plans to resign from the state House.

Shortly after Viers’ exit, Myrtle Beach businesswoman Debbie Harwell announced she also was dropping out of the race.

Harwell said she needs to spend time with her husband, who developed health problems over the Christmas holiday.

According to her campaign finance report, Harwell raised $9,750 during the fourth quarter of 2011. That amount includes a $5,000 personal loan.