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WASHINGTON The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is investing in South Carolina's special election to succeed congressman-turned-White House budget director Mick Mulvaney but just a fraction of what the national party has spent on the special election in neighboring Georgia.

The DCCC is putting $275,000 towards boosting South Carolina Democratic candidate Archie Parnell.

That's far less than the nearly $5 million being spent in support of Democrat Jon Ossoff in the highly competitive 6th District race in Georgia.

The difference shows that while the DCCC may be serious about party-building in traditionally red states ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, it doesn't necessarily see a clear pathway for victory in Parnell's bid against Republican Ralph Norman later this month.

"This investment will help turn out and provide key lessons on crucial voters for South Carolinas 5th Congressional District and the 2018 midterms more broadly," DCCC regional press secretary Cole Leiter said in a statement announcing the investment, provided to The Post and Courier.

"Were proud to make this investment in organizing staff, African-American radio, mail, digital and other targeted voter outreach in the final weeks of this campaign," Leiter continued, "and support a candidate like Archie Parnell who will stand up and fight for the smart, responsible kind of leadership this community needs."

The DCCC's investment will place a special focus on faith communities during the next two Sundays leading up to the June 20 special election finale.

The national party is also paying the salaries of three full-time field organizers for the Parnell campaign between now and Election Day.

The announcement of increased national party spending in the 5th District comes on the heels of this past weekend's visit from Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and former S.C. Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison, who is now a DNC associate chairman and focusing largely on state party building.

The attention on a special election in a conservative state and district is notable and could represent a new sensitivity towards investing in areas of the country that have been overlooked by Democrats in the past. But others warn that capitalizing on anti-Donald Trump sentiment may not be as viable in South Carolina as in Georgia.

S.C.'s 5th District stretches from Sumter to the Rock Hill region of the state.

Maddie Anderson, a National Republican Congressional Committee's regional press secretary, said in a statement to The Post and Courier that the DCCC's investment made it "clear they see no path to victory in South Carolina's fifth District.

"Just like in Kansas and in Montana, the DCCC is leaving their candidate high and dry and is underinvesting in a special election," she added, referencing to two other special elections this year that have been won by Republicans.

Anderson could not, however, offer a figure for how much the NRCC had spent in support of Norman so far. She said it is not the organization's policy to publicize its incremental investments in Congressional races, and that a sum total would be revealed closer to the time of the election.

Emma Dumain is The Post and Courier's Washington correspondent. Reach her at 843-834-0419 and follow her @emma_dumain.

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National Democrats making modest investment in South Carolina race to succeed Mick Mulvaney - Charleston Post Courier