Zais leads GOP education candidates

Bear with us — there are only so many ways you can write, “Candidate A has more cash-on-hand than Candidates B or C, and seems to have the momentum, so the good money is on Candidate A to have the most votes in the primary, and the favorite in the runoff.” And so it is for Mick Zais in the Republican nomination race for superintendent of education.

MICK ZAIS
Contributions: $33,489.07
(In-kind: $6,324.07)
Expenditures: $29,947.08
Cash on hand: $115,640.63

Significant contributions
Robert Royall, $1,000
Former director, S.C. Department of Revenue
Joe Edens, $1,000
Developer
Brian Boyer, $250
Developer
Ralph Norman, $500
State representative
Wayne Brazell, $100
Superintendent, S.C. Charter School District
Kristin Maguire, $500
Former chair, state Board of Education
Chad Connelly, $50
School choice advocate

Significant disbursements
Starboard Communications (printing), $4,179.49, $1,200, $500, $1,144.63
Ragley Public Affairs (campaign management), $5,000×2
The Mace Group (Web site, consulting), $2,500, $750

KELLY PAYNE
Contributions: $6,051.88
Expenditures: $10,242.58
Cash on hand: $743.85

Significant contributions
None.

Significant expenditures
Clark Solutions Group (ads), $6,100
Random Definition (Web site), $650

BRENT NELSON
Contributions: $60,219.95
(Loan: $50,000)
Expenditures: $52,089.34
Cash on hand: $14,082.41

Significant contributions
None.

Significant expenditures
Smoak Public Relations (printing, consulting), $4,750, $1,160, $23,033.20, $9,000, $3,000
NGS Consulting (consulting), $1,000, $2,764.01