Ard’s opponent: Cheating had big impact on race

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) — The man who former Lt. Gov. Ken Ard beat in a runoff to get the Republican nomination in 2010 says Ard’s manipulation of campaign finance laws had a big impact in their race.

Orangeburg attorney Bill Connor told The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg (http://bit.ly/zRETcx) that Ard’s lies about raising $87,000 early in 2009 kept big donors from supporting him.

Ard beat Connor with 61 percent of the vote in the runoff. Ard had 33 percent in the four-candidate primary race, while Connor had 27 percent.

Connor says he is not dwelling on the 2010 race, instead continuing to love his family and practice law as God has called him to do

Ard was sentenced to five years of probation Friday for violating campaign finance laws.

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Information from: The Times & Democrat, http://www.timesanddemocrat.com