McCain Raises Money for Spears in S.C.

Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., arrives at a news conference on Capitol Hill Thursday, Feb.9, 2006. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook, FILE) (Dennis Cook - AP)

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was in South Carolina on Thursday to help raise money for Republican Adjutant General Stan Spears, the nation's only popularly elected adjutant general.

It's part of McCain's continuing efforts to firm up support in South Carolina for a potential 2008 presidential bid that, by all signs, is gaining momentum and key support here.

McCain left Thursday's event with Spears' endorsement. "Whatever he decides to do I'm supporting him," Spears said.

The event raised about $70,000 for Spears' campaign, McCain adviser Richard Quinn said.

McCain said whatever he plans to do in 2008, he likes his chances more now than in 2000, when he came into South Carolina with a lead in early primaries, but lost here to Bush's GOP connections.

That's not a factor this time, McCain said. "It feels good."

In the past few weeks McCain has worked other connections:

_ He hired Chris Allen, former aide to Gov. Mark Sanford, who was a co-chairman of McCain's 2000 presidential campaign in South Carolina.

_ He had former state Attorney General Charlie Condon and Bob McAlister, a well-regarded Columbia consultant, sign onto his Straight Talk America PAC as co-chairmen. Both supported President Bush in the 2000 primary, Trey Walker, McCain's 2000 national field director, said.

_ He enlisted Attorney General Henry McMaster as a PAC co-chairman, too. McMaster was the state GOP chairmen in 2000 and won his statewide office in 2002. He is running unopposed for re-election.

Besides raising money for Spears, McCain is holding a fundraiser for Karen Floyd, the GOP nominee for state education superintendent, on Friday. He's also meeting with Republican incumbents, Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom, Secretary of State Mark Hammond and Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers.

"He's got a head start signing up and locking people down," Walker said.

But "there's a little thing called the voter," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

"Does it help to have these people on your side? Absolutely. But rank and file voters have their own wills and they exercise them freely," Sabato said.

McCain isn't alone making regular calls to raise cash for candidates and local parties in South Carolina.

Last week, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was at a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett. On Wednesday, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani headlined a $2,500-per-person GOP event in Charleston and a Greenville fundraiser for Ralph Norman, who is running against Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. John Spratt.

Virginia Sen. George Allen, Tennessee Sen. Bill Frist, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and New York Gov. George Pataki have been making the rounds of South Carolina Republicans, too.