Four former presidential candidates — Rick Perry, Jon Huntsman Michele Bachmann Michele Marie BachmannEvangelicals shouldn't be defending Trump in tiff over editorial Mellman: The 'lane theory' is the wrong lane to be in White House backs Stephen Miller amid white nationalist allegations MORE and Herman Cain — are still on the South Carolina primary ballot after paying a $25,000 or $35,000 filing fee to the South Carolina Republican Party.

But one ex-candidate who also paid the fee, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, is not on the primary ballot.

ADVERTISEMENT

He’s not getting his money back either.

Matt Moore, the state party’s executive director and a former Pawlenty campaign official, said Saturday that Pawlenty was not refunded the $25,000 filing fee he paid before the first Republican debate in May 2011.

“It was very clear on the form it was not refundable,” Moore told The Hill.

The South Carolina GOP required candidates who wanted to participate in the May debate to register for the primary with a $25,000 filing fee. After the May debate, the fee went up to $35,000.

Pawlenty, who was one of five candidates in the first debate, dropped out of the presidential race in August after losing to Bachmann in the Iowa straw poll and short of money.

Pawlenty endorsed former Gov. Mitt Romney shortly after he dropped out.

Pawlenty’s October Federal Election Commission filing revealed that his campaign was $450,000 in debt. Campaign aides said at the time that he had asked for a refund from the South Carolina GOP, but the party said no.



