More than $400k has poured into the Horry County chairman’s race. See who’s raised the most
The race for chair of Horry County Council has gotten expensive this year — $400,000 expensive.
Incumbent Chairman Johnny Gardner and his three challengers have collectively raised more than $435,000, making it one of the most expensive Horry County races in recent years.
The race has attracted so much cash in part because Tuesday’s primary contest will be a rematch between Gardner and his top opponent, former council chairman Mark Lazarus.
Gardner surprised residents and political observers alike in 2018 when he managed to oust Lazarus, who was running for a second term. Lazarus is now attempting to win back his old seat.
The other two candidates — Horry County Council member Johnny Vaught and resident Katrina Morrison — have said they’re running, in part, because they feel Gardner has not been a strong leader. Vaught cited recent council fights as diluting trust in Gardner.
With less than a week to go before voters head to the polls, Gardner and Lazarus have each raised significant sums — $146,000 and $199,000, respectively — but from different sources.
The race for the North Myrtle Beach seat on council has also attracted significant cash, more than $200,000 to date.
Here’s how the numbers break down.
Which Horry chair candidate has raised the most?
To date, Lazarus has raised thousands more than every other candidate, totaling $198,975 from 323 donors. He’s also spent the more than any other candidate — $128,273 — on things like signs and advertisements.
Gardner, meanwhile, has raised $145,939 but the bulk of those funds is a $102,000 loan. He’s received 16 individual donations and has spent $26,259.
Vaught has raised $83,025 from 60 donors and a $40,000 loan. And Morrison has raised $7,624 from 18 donors.
Each candidate’s donor total includes personal contributions they gave themselves.
A significant portion of Lazarus’ fundraising has come from people working in real estate, construction and development companies, including $1,000 from the SC Realtors Political Action Committee.
Gardner meanwhile is supported by Horry County Rising head April O’Leary, who gave $1,000. That organization pushes for stricter building and zoning codes to combat flooding and often buts heads with developers.
Vaught is backed by various professionals, including realtors and business owners.
Morrison is backed primarily by her neighbors in the Little River area.
What are candidates spending their cash on?
Lazarus and Vaught have spent the most on their races so far, with Lazarus spending $128,273 and Vaught spending $47,422.
Lazarus has spent his cash on signs, billboards, political ads and professional consultants at Starboard Communications Agency, a high-powered firm based in Columbia that works for Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Tom Rice.
Vaught has also spent cash on signs and ads, as well as the consulting firm First Tuesday Strategies, another Columbia-based firm that works for Republicans.
Gardner has spent the bulk of his money on Lucky Dog Productions, a Conway-based consulting firm run by Donald Smith.
Morrison has spent her money on a campaign website and campaign materials, like buttons.
You can view each candidate’s full campaign finance reports by searching their last name on the South Carolina State Ethics Commission website. If you find anything we might have missed, email reporter J. Dale Shoemaker at dshoemaker@thesunnews.com.
This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
