This wouldn't be the first time that Priebus had to backtrack on his words and it won't be the last. He'll just have to suck it up and write the check or assume the responsibility for a lost Senate seat for the want of a simple check that was under his control.
No acceptance of personal responsibility in the Aiken camp? Try and spread blame all you want, Aiken said what he said. It wasn't a gotcha question. It was an imbecilic response to an easy question and the consequences are his fault. Not Priebus' fault, though I don't agree with his knee-jerk tossing of Aiken under the bus. Not the media's fault, who live for crucifying conservatives for no reason much less a real one. It's Aiken's fault. And the loss of the seat, if that happens, is his fault too.
If you look elsewhere, they were putting the number at $2 million, and that was about a month ago.