Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer’s latest brush with the law could sound the death knell for his re-election.

“He’s going to have a hard time surviving the Republican primary,” said Robert Botsch, a political scientist at USC Aiken. “He could save himself a lot of money and not file.”

Bauer, who is paid $46,000 a year, said Tuesday he would file to run in the June 13 primary.

But he has handed his primary opponent, Mike Campbell, an early Christmas present.

Bauer has been stopped twice by state troopers for speeding in the past four months — but not ticketed. In one instance, he was clocked traveling 101 mph.

The Capital City was abuzz as reports about the Bauer story leaked out. It was a chief topic of conversation among a number of Rock Hill business leaders who were in town for York County Day.

Bauer was scheduled to address the group late in the afternoon but canceled at the last minute. His office said he had more pressing business.

Suddenly, Bauer became the butt of a lot of jokes and ridicule among the York citizens.

“This will cast a negative shadow on his personal conduct,” said University of South Carolina professor Blease Graham.

People generally forgive someone’s transgressions the first time, but when it happens a second, or even a third time, as it has with Bauer, people begin to ask the question, “What’s going on here?”

A reporter for The State called Bauer on Friday and asked whether he had had any recent run-ins with the law involving speed.

Bauer insisted the answer was no.

“To destroy trust, that makes things worse,” Graham said.

Bauer’s past sins have been dismissed as actions of a young and immature man.

“This is going to be reinforced, and this could cause him big problems,” Botsch said. “Republicans don’t want to nominate someone who is an embarrassment to the Republican Party. And he may be reaching that point.”

The Campbell campaign should send Bauer a bouquet of roses and a thank-you note, said Chip Felkel, a Greenville-based Republican consultant.

“It’s an uphill battle when you face an incumbent, but I would have to say that this is a gift,” he said. “For all the good the lieutenant governor seems to be doing, he can’t seem to keep from stepping in it.”

State Sen. John Courson, R-Richland, has been pushing for a security person to be assigned to the lieutenant governor.

“This never would have occurred if a security detail had been with Bauer,” he said.

But that’s no excuse for what happened, Courson said.

“I think this, coupled with his previous problems, could be very damaging politically,” the senator said.

Others cut Bauer no slack.

“This is bad. This is serious stuff for someone who is a serious officeholder” said Furman University analyst Don Aiesi. “This raises a lot of questions about the guy’s judgment.

“I blame him big time.”

Bauer has a following, and there will be some voters who will say he’s their man because he stands up for the little guy.

But Botsch said he doesn’t see an upside to the latest run-in with police.

“It’s an unmitigated disaster.”

Botsch rated Bauer’s re-election chances slim to none.