Which Democrat running for SC governor has a cash lead heading into election day?

One candidate in the race for the Democratic nomination for governor has built up a lead in the cash race just days before the primary election.

In pre-election fundraising totals filed Saturday night, state Rep. James Smith of Columbia reported $455,960 in cash on hand heading into the June 12 primary. Smith raised $164,523 in the last two months.

Florence attorney Marguerite Willis reported $279,057 in the bank with little more than a week to go. She raised only $40,503 in the same time period.

Smith and Willis were locked in a tight fundraising contest when the campaigns last reported numbers to the state Ethics Commission. After a late entry to the race earlier this year, Willis had $542,458 left to spend at the beginning of April, not too far behind Smith's $622,415.

Willis has given her campaign about $178,000, her previous report showed, and she's also taken out a $300,000 loan.

The third Democratic candidate for governor, Charleston's Phil Noble, filed his own pre-election report on Sunday. The technology consultant had $59,673 on hand heading into the final stretch, not much more than the $59,498 he had on hand as of April.

Noble's campaign raised $56,994 in the two months since the last filing, but spent $56,819 in that same period. The campaign also has $21,500 in outstanding loans.

Final contribution totals were due by midnight on May 29, but the candidates have a five-day grace period for late filings heading into election day.

This story was originally published June 2, 2018 at 11:05 PM with the headline "Which Democrat running for SC governor has a cash lead heading into election day?."