With the South Carolina primary election set for June 9, 2026, first quarter campaign finance reports filed with the state offer a snapshot of where York County candidates stand financially heading into the stretch run. The reports, due April 10, reveal dramatic differences in fundraising strength across contested races for county council, probate judge, and the state legislature.
State House District 26
In the Republican primary for House District 26, David W. Martin of Fort Mill enters the final stretch as the best funded candidate in any local race, reporting $79,723.68 in cash on hand at the end of the first quarter. Martin has raised $111,382 across the election cycle from dozens of contributors. He spent $34,731.76 this quarter alone, with the largest single expenditure being $33,268.33 to Starboard Communications of Lexington for consulting. Martin carries a $29,000 loan balance on his books.
His Republican primary opponent, Elizabeth Enns of Fort Mill, closed the quarter with $22,012.08 in cash on hand. She raised $14,218.56 from more than 55 contributors this period, with donors spanning Fort Mill, Rock Hill, Lake Wylie, and points well beyond York County. Enns has spent $4,390.54 this quarter, with the largest single expenditure being $2,929.70 to The Cierge Group of Raleigh for campaign consulting services and palm cards.
Martin holds a roughly 3.6 to 1 cash on hand advantage over Enns. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Jenny Desch and Workers Party candidate Kiral Mace in the fall.
State House District 47
In the Democratic primary for House District 47, Justin Bennett of York has not filed a campaign finance report. His Statement of Economic Interests, submitted in March, contains no financial data. His opponent, Peter Martinez of Clover, reported $200.92 in cash on hand and recorded no contributions or expenditures during the first quarter. His total election cycle fundraising stands at $400, including $300 in personal contributions. The winner of this primary will face Republican incumbent Tommy Pope in the fall.
State House District 49
For House District 49, incumbent John King of Rock Hill is seeking the Democratic nomination in the June primary. King reported $30,044.87 in cash on hand, the third highest total among all local candidates. He raised $14,130 from roughly 35 donors this quarter and spent $2,308.03 in the period, primarily on signs and processing fees through ActBlue.
Perry Sutton of Rock Hill is challenging King in the primary. Sutton reported no outside contributions and has funded his campaign entirely through loans totaling $1,985.75. He ended the quarter with $208 on hand after spending $198.32 on campaign fliers at the UPS Store in Rock Hill.
With no Republican currently filed in the race, the winner of the Democratic primary is positioned to win the seat outright in November.
York Probate Judge
The race for York County Probate Judge features two Republicans with sharply different financial pictures. Anna Miller of Clover reported $51,422.69 in cash on hand at the end of the first quarter, the second highest total among all local candidates. Miller raised $35,322 during the quarter from more than 80 individual donors and organizations, with contributions coming from across South Carolina and beyond. She has spent $7,972.72 so far this election cycle, with notable outlays including signs from Starboard Communications and printing from Positive Printers in Fort Mill.
Her opponent, Daniel Harshaw of McConnells, raised $16,088.15 during the quarter from roughly 30 donors, ending the period with $4,724.46 on hand. Harshaw has spent $12,863.69 in total cycle expenditures, including a $6,918.84 filing fee paid to the South Carolina Republican Party and $3,670 to First Tuesday Strategies LLC for campaign management consulting.
Miller holds a commanding 10 to 1 cash on hand advantage over Harshaw with roughly eight weeks remaining before the primary. With no Democrat in the race, the primary winner is on a clear path to the bench.
York County Council District 3
Three Republicans are competing for the District 3 seat on York County Council, and the fundraising picture is uneven.
Tommy Adkins of York leads the field with $1,658.87 in cash on hand after raising $4,450 from nine contributors this quarter. His donor list includes three LLCs sharing an Ebenezer Road address in Rock Hill, Harding Custom Homes and MJ Rooster Investments, each contributing $1,000, along with MEH Properties LLC at $1,000. Adkins spent $4,041.13 this period, primarily on shirts, magnets, hats, and a campaign kickoff event at El Corral in Smyrna.
Stephanie Brown of York entered the quarter with $9,985 on hand, but after spending $10,735.57, including $6,450 to Red Truck Media in Charlotte for campaign marketing and signage and $2,948.06 to Signs on the Cheap, she closed the period with just $249.43 in her account. Brown reported no outside contributions this quarter, relying on a $1,000 personal contribution, and carries a $10,000 loan balance on her books.
Bradley Sims of Hickory Grove reported the smallest war chest in the race, ending the quarter with $687.97 in cash on hand. He raised just $76 this period from three contributors and spent $1,388.03, mostly on yard signs and T shirts. Sims has relied heavily on personal funds, with $3,799.53 in personal contributions across the election cycle.
No Democrat has filed for this seat, meaning the Republican primary winner will be the winner in November.
York County Council District 7
Debra Cloninger of Fort Mill reported $6,685.05 in cash on hand at the end of the first quarter. She raised $7,176 from approximately 38 donors this quarter, the vast majority of them retired residents in the Fort Mill area. Cloninger has spent $2,886.95 this cycle, primarily on printing through vendors including Got Print, Pony Express, and Sign Techniques.
Her opponent, Scott Couchenour of Fort Mill, filed his first quarter report on April 13, just after the deadline. Couchenour reported $6,233.22 in cash on hand, funded almost entirely through $9,000 in personal contributions during the quarter. His cycle total includes an additional $1,000 cash contribution received in a prior period. Couchenour spent $3,766.78 this quarter, including a $1,500 sponsorship of a Main Street event through Amor Artis, a $1,000 Boys State sponsorship through the American Legion, and $387.77 on handouts from Positive Printers in Fort Mill.
The two candidates are running nearly even in cash on hand, with Cloninger holding a slim $451 advantage. No Democrat has filed for this seat, meaning the primary winner will represent District 7 in November.
The Big Picture
David Martin leads all local candidates in available campaign cash by a wide margin, with $79,723.68 on hand and more than $111,000 raised across the election cycle. Anna Miller and John King follow with $51,422.69 and $30,044.87 respectively, though all three face contested primaries before the general election comes into view. At the other end of the spectrum, the District 3 county council race features three underfunded candidates and one candidate in District 7 who has yet to disclose his finances at all, leaving voters with an incomplete picture of those contests heading into the final weeks of primary season.
Source: South Carolina Ethics Commission campaign finance disclosure reports, Quarter 1 2026, filed April 2026.
Sign up for our Sunday Spectator. Delivered to your inbox every Sunday, with all the news from the week.
