The Buzz: Meet SC’s top 2016 GOP donor – and the candidate he likes

South Carolina’s top Republican donor in the 2016 presidential race is a self-described pragmatic fiscal conservative who runs a 230-employee lumber company in Allendale.

Through Collum’s Lumber Products, Hank Scott donated $200,000 to a pro-Marco Rubio political action committee last year, the only six-figure contribution tied to a candidate in the presidential race from a S.C. individual or company, according to the Federal Election Commission data.

Scott has donated another $9,600 to Rubio’s campaign and a pro-Rubio committee.

Scott met Rubio at the S.C. GOP’s 2012 Silver Elephant dinner, where the Floridian spoke a year after joining the U.S. Senate. But it was during a private event about two years ago that Scott chose his 2016 favorite.

“He has the best chance to win. He’s less caustic and most likable,” said Scott, chief executive at Collum’s. “Marco is the future of the party.”

Scott wants a winner after GOP losses in the past two presidential elections, defeats where the Abbeville executive had money in the game.

Scott contributed $65,000 to Mitt Romney’s political committee in the 2012 and $7,500 to John McCain’s political committee in 2008 in addition to donations to their campaigns, according to election data.

“I have wasted a small fortune on candidates for president and didn’t want to do it again,” Scott said.

This time around, Scott passed on backing former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, not wanting a third member of the Bush family in the White House. He said he did not like the demeanor of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas or New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

“They were a bit caustic, and I guess I’m an old Southern boy and manners matter,” said Scott, a Citadel graduate who runs an 80-year-old business with sales of more than $100 million a year.

Scott says he is “as conservative as the next guy,” adding he is looking for politicians to better watch over how Washington spends its money.

A nominee who heavily pushes social conservative issues, like Cruz, will scare away women voters in swing states like Ohio, he added.

“I’m pragmatic,” he said. “I’m not hung up on social issues, not on gay marriage. I have my own opinions, but the state should not get involved. It’s called freedom.”

Scott said he is the most politically involved of his brothers, who also work in the family business. However, he has brought one brother over to Rubio.

The other is sitting on the fence and has flirted with the idea of backing GOP front-runner Donald Trump, a real estate developer and reality-television star who has offered few details on his promises to fix the nation’s problems.

“Some of these clowns, what they are feeding people is not going to happen,” Scott said.

The Graham effect

Looking back at presidential fundraising in South Carolina last year, it’s impossible not to notice the effect of having a homegrown candidate in the field.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-Seneca, raised $1.5 million in his home state last year, more than the top five active GOP candidates combined collected in South Carolina. A pro-Graham super PAC collected another $272,500 in the state.

South Carolina is far from the wealthiest state, making it difficult for candidates to raise large sums here. Still, Graham’s S.C. haul accounted for more than 40 percent of his contributions nationally from individuals.

Part of Graham’s legacy as the first S.C. politician to run for the White House in three decades may turn out to be how he took some Palmetto State supporters – and money – away from other candidates.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush likely was hurt most of all. Bush and Graham had overlapping supporters, including many who backed the presidential runs of Bush’s father and brother.

Consider: Charleston billionaire businesswoman Anita Zucker gave the Graham super PAC $40,000 only two months before she decided to back Bush, after the senator quit the race in December.

“The checks were for Sen. Graham. I don’t think any of them were writing checks for ‘President Lindsey Graham,’ ” Winthrop University political scientist Scott Huffmon said of Graham’s S.C. donors. “They wanted to stay in the senator’s good graces.”

Except for South Carolina, Graham did not crack the top 10 in the polls during his candidacy, a performance that fell well short of what he needed to do to make the main debate stage in the large GOP field.

Like many of his financial supporters, Graham ended up endorsing Bush.

‘I hope I didn’t offend’

While senators were debating the fact that they were not debating roads Thursday, state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, D-Kershaw, blamed the impasse on Gov. Nikki Haley’s insistence that an income tax cut be included in any road-repair bill that also raises gas taxes.

Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, went back and forth with Sheheen over the cause of the delay.

Then, Peeler referred to Sheheen losing to Haley in the 2010 and 2014 governor’s races.

“I feel sorry for you,” Peeler told Sheheen. “You’ve been beat up twice by a girl.”

Last year, the topic of sexism under the State House dome was debated after state Sen. Tom Corbin, R-Greenville, made an offensive joke to Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, the Senate’s only female S.C. senator at the time.

But Peeler said he did not think his comment to Sheheen was inappropriate.

“It was said in jest,” Peeler said. “I hope I didn’t offend the governor, and I hope I didn’t offend the senator from Kershaw, and I hope I didn’t offend the public.”

A new Hope for the GOP

Hope Walker, who worked for the S.C. GOP before running Mike Huckabee’s 2016 presidential campaign in South Carolina, was named the state party's executive director last week.

Matt Moore has been both the S.C. GOP’s party chairman and executive director since late 2013. He will remain chairman.

Walker, an Irmo native, previously has been the state, political and member services director for the party. Huckabee dropped out of the race Monday.

State House races

The Buzz sifted through ethics filings, social media and news releases for a list published last Sunday of contested State House seats.

Seems there are a few more.

S.C. House

▪ District 15: Samuel Rivers, R-Charleston, has a primary challenger, Steven Smith, a pastor who works in corporate finance for Verizon Wireless.

▪ District 79: The seat being vacated by Mia McLeod, D-Richland, has another challenger, attorney Van Williams Jr., who will run as a Democrat against two other contenders.

▪ District 110: Rep. Chip Limehouse, R-Charleston, is retiring, and Will Freeman, who works it the tourism industry, will compete against three others for the GOP nomination, including the son of a former S.C. House speaker.

▪ District 119: State Rep. Leon Stavrinakis, D-Charleston, has a challenger in the general election – Lee Edwards, a Republican who owns an entertainment company.

Know of a campaign that Buzz hasn’t heard of yet? Email thebuzz@thestate.com

The Buzz will add to its list of contested races as more candidates are announced.

2016 in SC

John Kasich: The Republican Ohio governor will hold events Wednesday in Mount Pleasant and Charleston; town halls Thursday in Pawleys Island, North Myrtle Beach and Florence; and attend a S.C. Chamber of Commerce lunch Friday as well as hold events in Orangeburg and Bluffton.

Marco Rubio: The Republican U.S. senator from Florida will hold a rally Wednesday in Spartanburg.

Donald Trump: The Republican developer from New York will hold a rally Wednesday at Clemson University’s Ed Garrison Arena.

▪  You can find more details on presidential candidates visiting South Carolina at thestate.com/the-buzz

Staff writer Cassie Cope contributed.

This story was originally published February 6, 2016 at 5:31 PM with the headline "The Buzz: Meet SC’s top 2016 GOP donor – and the candidate he likes."