COLUMBIA — Businessman Tom Steyer’s presidential paid the chairman of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus more than $43,000 in just over a month to serve as a senior adviser, an amount more than any other campaign aide in that time period, according to new financial disclosures.

Campaign filings with the Federal Election Commission show Steyer’s campaign paid The Govan Agency LLC, an insurance company owned by state Rep. Jerry Govan, a total of $43,548 between Oct. 31 and Dec. 4. The only purpose listed for the payments was “Community Building Services.”

Govan, an Orangeburg Democrat, leads the main Statehouse group of black lawmakers in a state where African Americans account for roughly two-thirds of Democratic votes. Since Govan’s endorsement in October, several other black officials have backed Steyer — a valuable boost in a state where about two-thirds of the Democratic primary electorate is African-American

By contrast, Steyer’s South Carolina state director Jonathan Metcalf made a monthly salary of about $7,000. His national campaign manager Heather Hargreaves makes a monthly salary of around $15,000.