COLUMBIA, S.C. - If Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt wins the White House next year, he'll owe a big thank you to the Palmetto State.

That's because three South Carolina natives are running Gephardt's bid to win the Democratic presidential nomination.

Bill Carrick of Aiken, a former executive director of the South Carolina Democratic Party, is an adviser to Gephardt's campaign; Maurice Daniel, who grew up in Belton, is Gephardt's national political director; and Richard Sullivan of Columbia, who's in charge of raising money for Gephardt's campaign.

The three worked with Gephardt 15 years ago when the former House Majority Leader lost the Democratic presidential nod to Michael Dukakis.

"It's an odd coincidence," Gephardt said of his South Carolina connection. "But all three worked for me in 1988, and one of the things that I pride myself on is strong human relationships ... They have all come back to me."

Carrick lives in Los Angeles, Daniel in Washington and Sullivan in Raleigh, N.C. But get plenty of campaign time in their home state to try and put Gephardt ahead of the other eight major Democrats in the presidential race.

South Carolina's primary, the first in the South, is Feb. 3.

After Iowa and New Hampshire, South Carolina is significant in the nominating process, Carrick said. "It's the first place where there is a large African-American voting percentage. It's also the first Southern state," he said.

And Carrick, Daniel and Sullivan have worked to make Gephardt at home down South.

"Dick is a seminative now," said Daniel, joking. "We ply him with great South Carolina lore and barbecue."

Carrick says he stays connected to his home state through his many Palmetto state clients.

In the 2002 elections, he was two for three among the South Carolina Democrats who hired him.

Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum and State Treasurer Grady Patterson won re-election bids. Former College of Charleston president Alex Sanders lost the U.S. Senate race to Republican Lindsey Graham.

"Alex losing broke my heart," Carrick said.

Sullivan says he's using his father, Richard, a former member of the South Carolina House in 1971 and 1972, to help Gephardt.

"He's a volunteer. He's enlisted. I beat him down," Sullivan said. "He's helping to make fund-raising calls."

The younger Sullivan hopes to raise $20 million by year's end.

Sullivan confident he'll reach that. He's also confident Gephardt will do well in South Carolina, which tends to side with Republicans.

Gephardt, Sullivan said, "is definitely not as liberal as most in the Democratic field."

Information from: The State