Harpootlian holds cash lead over Ott thanks to $150K loan in SC Senate race home stretch
.jpg "State Rep. Russell Ott, D-Calhoun, and state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland.")
In the last week before the June 11 primary, state Sen. Dick Harpootlian is using his campaign cash lead to join the television ad battle against state Rep. Russell Ott in the Senate District 26 Democratic primary race.
But Harpootlian’s campaign cash lead is buoyed by a $150,000 loan his campaign took out.
The race has become contentious between the two hopefuls as they seek the Democratic nomination to succeed state Sen. Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington, in the district.
Going into the last three weeks of the race, Ott had $81,000 cash on hand. Harpootlian had $233,000 cash on hand. However, Harpootlian took out a $150,000 loan for the campaign in April, according to State Ethics Commission reports.
During the cycle, Harpootlian has raised $187,000. Ott has brought in $182,000.
Between April 1 and May 22, Ott raised $85,000. Harpootlian brought in $53,000, as Ott says he’s in a good spot in the final week of the race.
“The reason he’s doing everything is because he’s in trouble. He’s not giving himself $150,000, without thinking he’s in trouble,” Ott said. “I think that’s pretty clear.”
Harpootlian said the loan is a renewal of a previous loan he had in 2020, which he intends to pay back with campaign contributions.
Harpootlian first took out the loan in 2020, after he spent several hundred thousands of dollars of his money in a 2018 race, but was unable to pay himself back.
With the available cash, Harpootlian has gone up on the air.
He has reserved about $31,000 in broadcast television time in the Columbia television market according to Federal Communications Commission records. Harpootlian’s total broadcast and cable buy is about $50,000, according to his campaign.
Harpootlian says this last week of spending and the ad blitz is not a sign he is worried about the election.
“We had a plan that we started months ago,” Harpootlian said. “We’re merely executing on that plan. We’re spending the resources we have to educate voters.”
Harpootlian said his ads focus on abortion, guns and efforts on economic development.
Ott has been advertising on television calling it a new day in South Carolina with the need for access to a quality education and health care, while talking about respecting workers, supporting businesses and bringing down the cost of living.
Ott went on the air last week, according to FCC records and said he intends to be on the air through primary election day.
Ott bought TV ads starting last week, but only had about $7,000 worth of time reserved on broadcast channels in the Columbia market, FCC records show. Ott’s total television ad buy is about $22,000 through Friday, he said as not all records are immediately available.
Ott said a lot of voters have yet to make up their minds on this race.
“His campaign has been all about me, and paint me in a negative light,” Ott said. “Dick has focused on Columbia. We’ve gone to every part of this district. … Voters will see that and be much more encouraged by what I bring to the table than what he brings to the table.”
Ott is getting some help with messaging.
During the last week ahead of the primary, the Friends of the Farm Bureau PAC sent a mailer supporting Ott’s election, calling him a “bridge builder.” Ott indicated that he did not know the mailer would be going out.
Ott is a contract employee of the S.C. Farm Bureau, coordinating fundraisers to help pay for scholarships, human resources type work such as writing job descriptions, and keeping up with its strategic plan.
Ott previously lobbied for the farm bureau, but relinquished those responsibilities after he was elected to the State House.
Although Harpooltian would not disclose internal polling numbers he said he believes he’s ahead in the race.
“We’ve done some polling, we’re comfortable with where we are,” Harpootlian said.
This story was originally published June 4, 2024 at 10:41 AM.
