Campaign ad spending surges past $12 million in SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The crush of campaign ad spending in South Carolina has swollen to more than $12 million so far, with candidates and independent groups paying top dollar to elbow for room in the state’s advertising marketplace.

The ads by the Republican hopefuls and affiliated groups, the so-called super PACs, have been overwhelmingly negative.

Information provided to The Associated Press indicates that, all told, presidential campaign ads have run approximately 25,000 times across South Carolina media markets.

The onslaught has left TV stations across the state struggling to keep up with the demand for their air time.