Legislature Left to Weigh Primary Funding

Gov. Nikki Haley vetoed state funding for the 2012 GOP Presidential Primary.

The legislature had included as much as $680,000 in funding for the primary in the state budget, but the governor argued it isn’t a state responsibility.

“I believe private dollars are the appropriate way to fund a partisan Presidential primary,” Haley wrote in her veto message to the legislature. “The bottom line is this: South Carolina will host the First in the South Presidential Primary in 2012 and will be as successful as it always has been, but it should not fall on taxpayers to cover the expense.”

It’s now be up to the legislature, which returns to consider Haley’s vetoes on Wednesday.

Berkeley County GOP Chairman Tim Callananthat the S.C. primaries are an economic boom for the state and it gives the Palmetto State a tremendous amount of influence and clout. "The party will come up with the money whether we have to pay for it ourselves or not," he said.

But Callanan said it wasn't his preferred solution. "I'm historically someone who believes that government should stick with its core functions," he said. "But running elections is one of your core functions."