WASHINGTON — The South Carolinians running for U.S. Senate in 2004 spent a record-setting $24 million — more than twice as much as the candidates who ran two years ago.

“It’s an incredible money chase, a massive machinery of money that gathers around the anointed candidates,” said Sheila Krumholz, research director of the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington nonprofit that follows money in campaigns.

The sad result, she said, is that a run for Congress often is limited to a select few.

Republican Jim DeMint, who in November beat Democrat Inez Tenenbaum, spent a total of $9 million, according to campaign finance reports, the last of which had to be filed Monday.

“Two years ago, I told everyone this would be a $6 million race, and no one believed it would cost that much,” DeMint said. “I had no idea it would end up costing more.

“I’m just thankful to everyone who supported my candidacy.”

Tenenbaum, the state superintendent of education, spent $6.2 million.

“It was a top-tier race that attracted a lot of attention across the country, and it was competitive all the way through,” said Zeke Stokes, Tenenbaum’s campaign finance director.

The $15.2 million DeMint and Tenenbaum spent also more than doubled the $7 million Democrat Fritz Hollings — the man DeMint succeeded — and Republican Bob Inglis spent in Hollings’ last race in 1998.

DeMint’s most generous supporters were those who work for financial, insurance and real estate companies. Lawyers and lobbyists gave the most to Tenenbaum.

To their $15.2 million, add the money spent by their competition in the primary and general elections, and the price tag for the 2004 race approaches $24 million.

That includes spending by three strong candidates in the GOP primary — $3.3 million by Charleston developer Thomas Ravenel; $2.7 million by former Gov. David Beasley; and $1.5 million by former Attorney General Charlie Condon — and more than $1 million by eight other candidates.

Two years earlier, Republican Lindsey Graham and Democrat Alex Sanders spent $10.3 million in a race Graham won.

Why the price hike? The campaigns point to the following:

• Though DeMint won by 10 points, the race was long deemed a close one. That spurred individual donors in nearly every state to give to the S.C. candidates, as well as generous contributions from political parties.

• In 2002, neither Graham nor Sanders had a competitive primary. DeMint had to win a primary, a runoff and then the general election.

• Campaign costs — from yard signs to TV ads to consultants — rise with each election cycle.

In 2002, Krumholz said, a winning U.S. Senate candidate spent an average of $5 million. In 2004, the winner spent an average of $7.6 million.

The prices rise every year, Stokes said. “Four years from now, after the next Senate race, we’re going to be having the same conversation.”

Reach Markoe at (202) 383-6023 or lmarkoe@krwashington.com.