Love affair between comptroller general and superintendent candidate exposed (updated)

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A series of love e-mails between Kelly Payne, a candidate for the Republican nomination for state superintendent of education, and Republican S.C. Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom have been exposed.

Here's the problem: Eckstrom is married. Here's the other problem: Eckstrom is one of the most influential people involved in the GOP reform movement pushing for smaller government, lowering taxes and demanding more accountability and transparency in state government.

The State has the e-mails sent from Eckstrom to Payne, and it sounds very much like the two are having more than just a little fling.

The State has the story as well as some analysis on what this means for both candidates' futures.

Update February 18, 1:06 p.m.:

According to a report from Live News 5, Kelly Payne says she's the victim of dirty politics and believes the leak was a deliberate attempt to undermine her campaign.

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