By admin 
In a small church on Oct. 2 in Santee, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear claimed several statewide seats in South Carolina were winnable for Democratic candidates in 2026.
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The popular Democratic governor, who has visited the Palmetto State multiple times this year, then said he would put his money where his mouth is on securing the party wins this year. Beshear handed over two white envelopes. One to state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, the Democratic nominee for governor, and one to South Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Christale Spain.
Inside the envelope given to the SCDP was a check for $15,000, Spain told The State newspaper. She added that Beshear has contributed to the SCDP before as well.
With South Carolina set to kick off the 2028 Democratic presidential nominating process, Palmetto State Democrats have been benefitting financially to help with their own 2026 campaign efforts.
Out-of-state Democratic candidates have spoken to South Carolina voters and canvassed with candidates. But they also bring fundraising help and donations to a state where no Democrat has won statewide since 2006 and the legislature has a Republican supermajority.
Holding the First in the Nation presidential primary has allowed the state Democratic Party to cash in and keep a party infrastructure in place for future elections. And they aren’t waiting to spend it, according to party leaders.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom helped the state Democratic Party raise more than $300,000. U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, of Arizona, donated upwards of $60,000 to the party, Executive Director Jay Parmley said.
In 2026, Kelly gave $5,000 to the state party, according to FEC records.
Jennifer Pritzker, the cousin of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, gave the party $10,000 to the South Carolina Democratic Party, according to FEC records.
Beshear, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and former Vice President Kamala Harris also have helped the party financially, Spain said.
The money contributed is going toward turnout efforts for the state party, such as through mailers, phone calls and door-knocking operations.
The contributions are supporting 2026 races, where Democrats are betting on a favorable political environment and a complete slate of candidates for all statewide offices, congressional seat and state House seats to lead to gains at the ballot box.
“We’re spending now,” Parmley said. “We’ve never had a better political environment. We have 124 House candidates. We have seven congressional candidates, all of our statewide, and we’re leaving nothing on the table.”
Newsom, who has one of the most robust email fundraising lists in the country, also recently sent out an email blast encouraging his supporters to donate to six state house candidates running this year in South Carolina.
“Running for office as a Democrat in South Carolina can be a difficult decision; You put your name on the ballot knowing you’ll be absolutely bombarded with attacks from the Republican Party. But if these three Democrats have the resources, they will win this November,” Newsom wrote.
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Newsom also has sent out emails to his donor list in order to assist the South Carolina Democratic Party, which has helped the state party launch its coordinated campaign, Spain said. The state party has 24 organizers around the state.
“That not only kept our doors open, but that kept our staff on board, so that we can do more work, that we can do the candidate recruitment so that we can do the voter engagement things that we need to do,” Spain said.
Since the beginning of 2025, the state Democratic Party has raised $3.1 million, according to FEC records.
The South Carolina Democratic Party on its state Ethics Commission report reported $1.2 million in contributions since the beginning of 2025. Some contributions have come directly from the Democratic Parties in Illinois and California.
Bringing money in from people with White House aspirations is not new in South Carolina.
It’s a move the South Carolina Republican Party has done during its cycles, but it’s not through direct fundraising appeals.
“We’re not hitting those guys up for money,” said SC GOP chairman Drew McKissick.
When White House hopefuls file to run for president in one of South Carolina’s primaries, parties have to pay the state Election Commission $20,000 per presidential candidate who appears on their primary ballots.
The Democratic Party keeps the fee at $20,000, but the SCGOP charges a higher filing fee for presidential candidates to appear on the South Carolina GOP primary ballot.
The SCGOP plans to charge candidates $55,000 to be on the 2028 ballot. The remaining $35,000 will go to the state Republican Party to pay for its operations.
For the 2024 race, 10 Republicans filed to appear on the ballot. The filing fee is nonrefundable, and it shows whether a candidate is truly running a viable campaign.
“Come one, come all, we’re happy to have as huge of a crowd as possible,” McKissick said.
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