Republican state Sen. Wes Climer has raised nearly $1.1 million in his campaign for South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District, about five times the $215,607 raised by Democrat Mallory Dittmer, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
The two candidates are competing in the Nov. 3 general election for the open seat now held by U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman. Norman has held the seat since 2017, and the race marks the first time in about a decade that voters in the district, which includes all of York and Lancaster counties, will choose a new representative.
Climer, of Rock Hill, has served in the state Senate since 2016 and was unopposed in the June 9 Republican primary. Dittmer, a first-time candidate from Fort Mill, defeated Andrew Clough for the Democratic nomination.
Cash on hand
Through Sept. 30, Climer’s campaign reported total receipts of $1,091,674 and spending of $606,884, leaving $484,790 in the bank. Dittmer’s campaign reported $215,607 in receipts and $110,211 in spending, with $105,396 on hand. Neither campaign reported any debt.
Where the money comes from
The reports show campaigns funded in very different ways.
Political action committees and other candidates’ committees accounted for $329,750 of Climer’s money, about 30% of his total. Dittmer has received $1,100 from such committees.
Climer’s individual donors tend to give large amounts. Of the $754,286 he has raised from individuals, just $22,780, or 3%, came in contributions of $200 or less. Federal law allows an individual to give $3,500 per election, and through June 30, 88 Climer donors had given at least that much. A dozen gave $7,000, the maximum for both the primary and the general election, including Rock Hill attorney Joel Hamilton, Williams & Fudge CEO David Williams and Rock Hill auto dealer James Roy Burns. The candidate’s parents, Michael and Kimberly Climer of Rock Hill, gave $5,000 each.
Dittmer’s support leans toward smaller donors. Contributions of $200 or less made up $59,257, or 28%, of the $211,011 she has raised from individuals. No Dittmer donor had reached the $3,500 per-election limit as of June 30. Her largest individual contributor, Jeffrey Kohlmeyer of Indiana, gave $3,000. Donors who listed themselves as retired or not employed accounted for more than half of her itemized individual contributions.
Local and national support
Most of the money for both candidates comes from South Carolina, though the sources differ.
About 90% of Dittmer’s itemized individual contributions through June came from in-state donors, and roughly 80% came from York County alone. Fort Mill donors led the way with about $36,800, followed by Clover, Rock Hill, Lake Wylie and Tega Cay.
About 73% of Climer’s itemized individual money came from South Carolina. Rock Hill donors gave $144,312, more than any other city, with Columbia, Beaufort and Fort Mill next. North Carolina donors, many in the Charlotte area, gave $43,050.
Climer’s committee contributions include a wide range of industry groups and Republican leadership. Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina’s federal PAC gave $10,000. Koch Industries’ PAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee PAC and the National Automobile Dealers Association PAC each gave $5,000. The campaign committees of House Republican leaders Jim Jordan, Steve Scalise and Tom Emmer contributed, as did Norman’s congressional campaign, which gave $2,000. The Catawba Indian Nation gave $7,000.
Dittmer’s committee contributions are limited to a $2,000 transfer from another congressional campaign committee and $100 from the Cherokee County Democratic Women, listed as gas money.
Where the money went
Climer’s largest itemized expense through June was $103,663 to Gen2 Solutions LLC of Arlington, Virginia, for a media buy. He paid $47,532 to Donehue Campaigns of Summerville for strategic consulting and web services, $22,750 to fundraising consultant Drea Byars of Lexington and $21,036 to Strong Side Strategies of Rock Hill for strategic consulting. Prospect Strategic Communications of El Segundo, California, received $17,520 for research.
Local spending included event space at Winthrop University, catering from Goodie’s BBQ in Rock Hill and sponsorships for the York County GOP and the South Carolina Federation of Republican Women.
Dittmer’s largest expense was $14,768 in fees to Numero, a California fundraising platform. She paid $11,500 to MBK Brands of Fort Mill for logo design, website development and social media work, and $6,230 to the South Carolina Democratic Party for her filing fee, a voter data subscription and a convention sponsorship. Samuel Broom of Catawba received $5,000 for canvassing and sign placement, and she spent $4,178 on yard signs.
Her local spending included a $1,500 event sponsorship for the Rock Hill NAACP and a $250 festival fee paid to the City of Tega Cay.
About the reports
The cash totals in this story come from the FEC’s summaries covering July 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026. Detailed contribution and spending records for the third quarter of 2026 were not yet posted, so donor and vendor details reflect itemized records through June 30.
Both campaigns must file pre-general election reports, covering activity through Oct. 14, by Oct. 22. Reports for both candidates are available on the FEC website at fec.gov.
Sources:
- FEC candidate page, Wes Climer
- FEC candidate page, Mallory Dittmer
- FEC committee page, Climer for Congress
- FEC committee page, Dittmer for Congress
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Associate Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
