When it comes to campaign donations, incumbents are the winners in the money race. Campaign finance reports filed this week bear out that bit of political wisdom.

Take Luke Rankin. The three-term state senator from Myrtle Beach switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party last spring, but it didn't hurt him moneywise.

Rankin raised about 24 times the amount of money his challenger, Democrat Jara Uzenda, collected.

He and other incumbent legislators and other local officeholders hold a large advantage over challengers in bringing in the donations.

One of the main reasons is that incumbents tend to win, said Coastal Carolina University political science professor and Vice President Eddie Dyer.

"In the vast majority of cases, the incumbent wins, and people want to put their money with the likely winner so they can gain access," Dyer said.

Incumbents, for example, usually get most of the political action committee money regardless of party affiliation.

"The big money from PACs really is to buy access," Dyer said. "The big PACs, they don't care, Democratic or Republican, usually."

This is more true of legislative races than local ones, but the same principle holds, he said.

State Rep. Vida Miller, D-Pawleys Island, is an example. She received some of the same PAC donations, such as from the Realtors, as Rankin.

Sen. Dick Elliott, D-North Myrtle Beach, is another example. He raised 13 times more money than his GOP challenger, Katherine Jenerette.

Likewise, Rep. Thad Viers, R-Myrtle Beach, raised almost 40 times the amount collected by Democrat James Millward, his opponent.

Rankin said the level of donations is about the same as in the past, although four years ago he had a hotly contested race and spent $239,329.35.

Rankin, then a Democrat, was challenged by Republican Alan Clemmons. Clemmons was unable to raise as much money and spent $172,371 in his failed bid. Two years later, Clemmons was elected to the state House, and this year he has no opposition.

The power of incumbency extends to local races, though PAC money is less involved.

In the contest for Georgetown County sheriff, incumbent Republican Lane Cribb received $42,164.90 and spent $34,698.65. His donations included some from attorneys outside the county, such as the Conway firm of Hearn, Brittain and Martin.

Challenger Zack Grate, a Democrat who used to be one of Cribb's deputies, pulled in $6,829 in contributions. He had one donor who gave the $1,000 maximum, and it was a man in Georgia.