Pawlenty wants SC presidential primary fee refund

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has some buyer’s remorse after paying a $25,000 fee to compete in South Carolina’s first-in-the-South presidential primary.

Pawlenty dropped out of in August. He said he’d like to get a refund from South Carolina’s Republican Party. Pawlenty paid the filing fee early to claim a spot in the primary’s first debate in May. He dropped out after a third-place showing in an Iowa straw poll.

The state GOP says filing fees aren’t refundable. They’re used to help Republicans cover about half of the primary’s tab of more than $1 million.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich haven’t paid their filing fees yet. They’re due Nov. 5.