Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, a Republican, continues to do battle with the White House over his state’s right to use the stimulus funds. (Didn’t his state secede from the union over state’s rights in 1860?)

Undeterred by an initial rejection from the Obama administration to use stimulus money to pay down South Carolina’s state debt, he’s trying again—this time with an argument that may be a bit more compelling.

Today, he’s asking, more specifically, for the right to use stimulus money to pay down the state’s school construction debt.

“This would immediately free up over $162 million in debt service in the first two years and save roughly $125 million in interest payments over the next 13 years, which could then be directed towards other education purposes,” Sanford said in his letter to Obama. No word yet on a response.

And, for good measure, he’s asking the President to call off the Democratic National Committee attack ad, which started running this week in Columbia, S.C. The ad is pasted below: