It will be a virtual re-run of the tight 2010 race for South Carolina’s Indian-American Governor Nikki Randhawa Haley, who will formally launch her 2014 re-election campaign later this month.
The 41-year-old Haley, who also happens to be America’s youngest Governor, will be taking on the same Democrat rival, State Senator Vincent Sheheen. In 2010, it was a close encounter between the two, with Haley polling 51.4 per cent of the votes and Sheheen 47 per cent. It may once again turn out to be a close affair in November 2014, but unseating Haley won’t be easy for the Democrats, noted The Washington Post. Some Republican strategists believe Haley will win by a bigger margin this time.
A Winthrop University survey in April showed Haley’s approval rating stood at 44 per cent, with 37 per cent disapproving. South Carolina remains one of the enduring pro-Republican States, which should augur well for Haley. In the run-up to the last election, Haley had to endure some vicious propaganda, largely from within a faction of her own Republican Party that supported the candidacy of State lt Governor Andre Bauer in the primaries. But Haley, bolstered by the endorsement by Sarah Palin and some other leading Republicans, prevailed.
“Even though we have come far, we still have many more miles to travel. I want to keep doing the hard work to make sure South Carolina is the best place to live, raise a family and do business in America,” Haley said in a message to her supporters. As Haley formally kicks off her re-election campaign with a rally in Greenville on August 26, a string of top Republicans, including Texas Governor Rick Perry, louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, will be at hand.
It will also be a fund-raiser, and an invitation to the governor’s reception and photo opportunity with her would cost $3,500 per couple. And entry to a state reception will cost $1,000 per couple. “Together we have shown that South Carolina is open for business. We stood up to powerful union bosses who used President Obama to try to shut down our Boeing plant. We passed tort reform and capped punitive damages on costly, anti-business lawsuits. And there’s no State in the nation fighting harder against ObamaCare, a spending disaster our state does not want and cannot afford,” she said.