Posted on Fri, Jan. 12, 2007

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Financial reports show Sanford raised, spent twice as much as Moore

Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Gov. Mark Sanford raised a total of $8.5 million to beat Democrat Tommy Moore, according to the governor's last campaign finance report for the 2006 race.

That was almost $1 million more than Sanford raised in his first campaign for governor.

Sanford finished his campaign with more than $1.7 million left. The Republican governor "will use these funds to promote the legislative agenda he campaigned on," Sanford spokesman Jason Miller wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Friday.

That agenda includes restructuring state government and cutting spending and taxes, said Miller, who managed the governor's re-election campaign. The money also could go to other candidates who support Sanford's agenda, Miller said.

The finance report was filed Friday evening with the State Ethics Commission. The filing deadline was Tuesday, but candidates are allowed a five-day grace period.

Moore raised a total of $3.1 million and spent almost all of it in his losing bid to unseat the Republican incumbent, according to his filing on the State Ethics Commission Web site.

Moore, who continues to serve as a state senator from Clearwater, finished his campaign with $24.625.30 left over.

Sanford raised more than $500,000 in the final weeks of the campaign, compared with just over $275,000 for Moore during the period, according to the reports.