---
title: "Smith Outraises Long as Greenwood Mayor Race Nears Vote"
url: https://www.heregreenwood.com/2026/11/02/greenwood-mayor-race-smith-long-campaign-finance/
date: 2026-11-02T05:46:04-05:00
modified: 2026-11-02T05:46:04-05:00
author: "Clarence Marshall"
categories: ["Politics"]
site: "HERE Greenwood"
attribution: "HERE Greenwood"
---

# Smith Outraises Long as Greenwood Mayor Race Nears Vote

> GREENWOOD, S.C. — Greenwood Mayor Brandon Smith heads into Tuesday’s city election with more than twice the campaign money reported by challenger James Long, according to reports both men submitted to the state Ethics Commission. Smith reported $33,222 in receipts for the election cycle, a figure that includes $5,000 he put in himself and $1,872

*Source: [HERE Greenwood](https://www.heregreenwood.com/2026/11/02/greenwood-mayor-race-smith-long-campaign-finance/) — November 2, 2026 by Clarence Marshall*

GREENWOOD, S.C. — Greenwood Mayor Brandon Smith heads into Tuesday’s city election with more than twice the campaign money reported by challenger James Long, according to reports both men submitted to the state Ethics Commission.

Smith reported $33,222 in receipts for the election cycle, a figure that includes $5,000 he put in himself and $1,872 in in-kind help. Long reported $15,250.22, of which $8,500 came as loans and $700 as in-kind contributions.

On the spending side, Smith’s Oct. 19 report listed $23,650.33 in expenses, leaving him $9,571.67. The biggest single item was $16,522.80 paid to First Tuesday Strategies, a Columbia firm, for advertising and consulting. Five smaller entries adding up to $1,872 were filed without a stated purpose. Asked about them, Smith said they covered $600 in entertainment for a September campaign event, $972 for hats and $300 for photographs, which together equal the in-kind total his campaign reported.

Long went back and amended his third-quarter report on Oct. 28. The new version changes who received four consulting payments made in September, worth $1,303.44 combined, and now lists Grayson & Mae LLC, a company with a Rivers Avenue address in Charleston. The dates and amounts of those payments did not change. Long blamed the original entries on a volunteer who misread a payment record, and he said the company handled political consulting for his campaign.

The same amendment relabels a $7,500 payment made July 14 to Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte, a Columbia law firm. It was first listed as consulting and now reads as legal and consulting fees. Long described it as a retainer for legal advice on possible campaign issues.

State law requires candidates to list each expenditure with its date, amount, recipient and purpose.

Long entered the race first, filing on Aug. 3, and Smith filed a day later. The winner serves a four-year term as mayor, a seat elected citywide. Greenwood voters will also settle City Council seats in Wards 2, 4 and 6 and a Commission of Public Works seat. The Greenwood County Voter Registration & Election Office runs the city vote and takes questions at (864) 942-8585.