Two statewide offices below the governorship are drawing competitive Republican primary contests this cycle, with candidates for Attorney General and Commissioner of Agriculture reporting sharply different financial positions heading into the June 9 primary.
Attorney General
State Sen. Stephen Goldfinch of Conway leads the three-way Republican primary for Attorney General in both cash raised and cash on hand. Goldfinch raised $284,355 during the first quarter and ended the period with $651,401 in his campaign account after spending $113,825. His total election cycle fundraising stands at $877,282, the highest in the field, and he carries no loan balance.
David Stumbo reported $254,239 in cash on hand at the end of the quarter, raising $181,725 during the period and spending $112,226. His total cycle fundraising of $432,884 puts him in a competitive second place financially, though he trails Goldfinch by nearly $400,000 in cash on hand.
David Pascoe, a former prosecutor from Orangeburg, raised $91,880 this quarter and ended the period with $387,721 in cash on hand after spending $58,738. Pascoe has been the most conservative spender in the race, with total cycle expenditures of $84,233 compared to more than $170,000 for each of his opponents. That frugal approach leaves him with a meaningful reserve despite raising less than his rivals.
All three candidates carry no loan balances, and none has relied on personal contributions of any significance.
Commissioner of Agriculture
The Republican primary for Commissioner of Agriculture features an even starker financial divide, with one candidate far outpacing his opponents in both fundraising and cash on hand.
Cody Simpson, whose full name is William R. Simpson III, entered the race in February and has quickly built the strongest financial position in the field. Simpson raised $405,718 in cash contributions during the quarter along with $31,706 in in-kind contributions, ending the period with $389,753 in cash on hand after spending $19,515. His total cycle fundraising stands at $440,975, all of it accumulated since February 11. He carries a nominal $50 loan balance.
Fred West reported $161,118 in cash on hand at the end of the quarter, raising $59,790 this period and spending $22,368. West has been in the race longer than his rivals, with total cycle fundraising of $247,982, but his cash on hand trails Simpson’s by more than $228,000.
Danny Ford raised $60,725 during the quarter and ended the period with $51,517 in cash on hand after spending $9,707. Ford has the most conservative spending record in the race, but his fundraising total leaves him at a significant disadvantage relative to Simpson heading into the final stretch.
The Big Picture
In the Attorney General race, Goldfinch holds a commanding cash on hand lead but faces two opponents who have spent conservatively and retained meaningful reserves. Pascoe in particular has husbanded his resources carefully, leaving open the possibility of a late spending push. In the Agriculture race, Simpson’s rapid rise since entering in February has fundamentally reshaped the contest. His fundraising haul, accumulated in less than two months, dwarfs what Ford and West have raised across their entire campaigns. With no candidate in either race relying on personal loans, the outcomes will likely hinge on ground organization and name recognition as much as financial firepower.
Source: South Carolina Ethics Commission campaign finance disclosure reports, Quarter 1 2026, filed April 2026.
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