'Fired' or 'desperate'? Ad wars in SC governor's race heat up

With just three weeks to go until the June 12 primary, the TV ad wars are heating up.

Among the highlights:

▪ S.C. TV stations aired — then quickly dropped — an ad saying Republican Catherine Templeton had been fired from her state government jobs, complete with clips of President Donald Trump saying, "You're fired."

The ad from the Palmetto PAC compared Templeton to a "bad contestant on the 'The Apprentice.' "

But Templeton disputed she had been fired from her jobs as head of the state Department of Health and Enviromental Control in 2015 and, later, a consultant for the Department of Revenue. After her attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to TV stations Wednesday, most stopped playing it.

Templeton quickly fired back, launching a new ad called "Desperate Politicians" on Saturday.

Templeton blamed Gov. Henry McMaster for the ad, which was paid for by a third-party group.

"Like President Trump said, there really is fake news," she said. "We just didn't expect it to come from a conservative."

▪ McMaster's campaign did swing at Templeton with an ad criticizing her for previously voting for a Democrat for governor.

▪ GOP Lt. Gov. Kevin Bryant of Anderson launched two ads.

In one, Bryant says a raise in the state's gas tax won't stop political favoritism in the state's road system, while tossing coins into a pothole. The other features Bryant's wife and daughter.

▪ Greenville businessman John Warren dropped a new ad, his third ahead of the primary.

In the ad, Warren blames “politicians” for state government's woes, saying they “can’t even solve basic problems” before they snowball into disasters.

The state's Democratic candidates also hit the airwaves with two campaigns launching ads.

▪ State Rep. James Smith put out an ad touting his military service in Afghanistan, and his endorsements from Vice President Joe Biden and Clyburn.

▪ Florence attorney Marguerite Willis put out her own ad, promising she "won't back down" in tackling South Carolina's problems and introducing her running mate, state Sen. John Scott, D-Richland.

The third Democratic candidate, Phil Noble, will be putting out an ad before the June 12 primary, campaign manager Brandon Upson said.

This story was originally published May 21, 2018 at 7:46 AM with the headline "'Fired' or 'desperate'? Ad wars in SC governor's race heat up."