Remember what I said in the comments here
HuffPo
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley To Endorse Marco Rubio
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) will endorse Sen. Marco Rubio's presidential bid on Wednesday, giving the Florida Republican a significant boost just days from the key Palmetto State presidential primary, The State newspaper reported.
Haley could prove a key advantage for Rubio, who has lagged behind Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and real estate mogul Donald Trump, the current front-runner in the race for the nomination. The governor's endorsement also follows nods from South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and and Rep. Trey Gowdy, all popular representatives among the state's conservatives, in backing Rubio's candidacy.
The Indian-American governor is the first female and minority governor of South Carolina, and was viewed as a natural fit for Rubio's campaign. The senator, who is also the son of immigrants, has framed his candidacy as a generational choice about the future of America - one that can appeal to minority constituencies that largely rejected the Republican Party in the last presidential election.
Haley has been mentioned as a potential vice presidential nominee. She also delivered the GOP response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address earlier this year, in which she took aim at Trump. On Tuesday, the governor sharpened that criticism, stating that the businessman represents "everything a governor doesn't want in a president."
Haley endorsed Mitt Romney during the race for the 2012 GOP nomination. The nod did not move the needle for the former Massachusetts governor, however, as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich went on to win the South Carolina primary.
Asked about a potential Haley nod by NBC News on Tuesday, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a presidential candidate who had also courted the governor, called it the most powerful, meaningful one in the state."
I live in SC and in case anyone is interested:
ReplyDeleteNikki Haley is not and has never claimed to a "Tea Party" Republican. She was endorsed in her first Republican primary by Sarah Palin which has led people to believe otherwise.
She was a surprise winner in the 2010 primaries moving from 4th place to 1st largely because two of her opponents connived to hang an idiotic sex-scandal on her and it blew up in their faces. Once she cornered the sympathy vote she was home free.
The Dems ran a foolish and offensive State Senator against her twice so her general elections have been easy.
She is a rather timid Governor who plays it safe and has had little influence in other state elections. For example, she endorsed Romney early in 2012 and Gingrich walked away with the primary.
Her anti-Trump stances are a refection of her GOP establishment ties but are also likely heartfelt. Personality wise she the opposite of Trump.
She will never be a VP selection. The Republicans don't need any help carrying SC so why pick her? After she finishes her 2nd term I assume she will go into a lucrative career as a lobbyist. And she will be good one.
She has not accomplished much in terms of policy, she hasn't even tried. She is, however, a very good salesman and has brought a lot of lucrative business into the state. That will be her legacy in SC.