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===Raghead comment against Haley===
===Raghead comment against Haley===


On June 3rd, 2010, on the internet political talk show Pub Politics, Sen. [[Jake Knotts]], a South Carolina lawmaker and supporter of Haley opponent [[Andre Bauer]] said "We've already got a raghead in the White House, we don't need another raghead in the governor's mansion." The Republican state legislator refused to apologize for the slur, saying the remarks about President Barack Obama and state Rep. Nikki Haley were meant as a joke.<ref>http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/0610/742951.html</ref> Haley campaign manager Tim Pearson called Knotts "an embarrassment to our state and to the Republican Party."
On June 3rd, 2010, on the internet political talk show Pub Politics, Sen. [[Jake Knotts]], a South Carolina lawmaker and supporter of Haley opponent [[Andre Bauer]], repeatedly refered to Haley as a "[[raghead]]" or "f--king raghead", saying "We've already got a raghead in the White House, we don't need another raghead in the governor's mansion." The Republican state legislator refused to apologize for the slur, saying the remarks about President Barack Obama and state Rep. Nikki Haley were meant as a joke.<ref>http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/0610/742951.html</ref><ref>http://www.free-times.com/index.php?cat=1992209084141467&act=post&pid=11860406103619087</ref> Haley campaign manager Tim Pearson called Knotts "an embarrassment to our state and to the Republican Party."


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 17:16, 5 June 2010

Nikki Haley
File:Nikki Haley.png
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 87th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
2004
Preceded byLarry Koon
Personal details
Born (1972-01-20) January 20, 1972 (age 52)
Lexington, South Carolina
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMichael Haley
Children2
OccupationCFO, Accountant
Websitenikkihaley.com

Nikki Haley (born 1972) is an elected official from the U.S. state of South Carolina currently serving in the South Carolina House of Representatives where she represents Lexington County.[3] Haley is currently running for the Republican nomination in the South Carolina gubernatorial election, 2010 and has been endorsed by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford, and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.[4][5][6] Haley leads in aggregate Republican Primary and general election polling.[7][8][9]

Childhood and early adulthood

Nikki Haley (born Nimrata Randhawa) was born in Bamberg, South Carolina. Her parents, Dr. Ajit and Raj Randhawa, are Indian Punjabi Sikh immigrants from Amritsar and she has an older brother Mitti, sister Simran Singh, and younger brother Charan.[10] She went to Clemson University and majored in Accounting and then joined the FCR Corporation before joining her mother's business, Exotica International, in 1994.[11] The family business grew to a multi million dollar company.[11]

Career

She was named to the Board of Directors of the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce in 1998.[12]

She was named to the Board of Directors of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce in 2003. She became treasurer of the National Association of Women Business Owners in 2003 and president in 2004[12]. She chaired the Lexington Gala to raise funds for the local hospital.[11] She also serves on the Lexington Medical Foundation, Lexington County Sheriff’s Foundation, West Metro Republican Women, President of the South Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Chairman for 2006 Friends of Scouting Leadership Division campaign and is a member of the Rotary Club in Lexington.[13]

Elections

In 2004, she ran for the South Carolina House of Representatives against incumbent Republican representative Larry Koon. Koon, who had served since 1975, was the longest-serving member of the House. In the primary election, Haley won 40% of the vote (2,247 votes) to Koon's 42% (2,354 votes), thus forcing a runoff.[14] Her platform was anti-tax and fiscally conservative with an emphasis on education.[15]

In the runoff, Haley won with 54.7% (2,928 votes) of the total. She then ran unopposed for the House seat as there was no Democratic opponent. She became the first Indian American to hold office in South Carolina.[16]

Work

She has served as secretary of the Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs committees. She also was elected chairman of the Freshman caucus in 2005 and elected as a Majority whip in the South Carolina General Assembly.[13] She was the only freshman legislator named to a whip spot.[17]

Awards

  • 2005 "Friend of the Taxpayer" - South Carolina Association of Taxpayers
  • 2006
    • "Palmetto Leadership Award" - South Carolina Policy Council (a limited-government advocacy group)
    • "Strom Thurmond Excellence in Public Service and Government Award" - South Carolina federation of Republican Women

Candidate for South Carolina governor

On May 14, 2009, Nikki Haley announced she is running for the Republican nomination for Governor of South Carolina in 2010.[4]

On November 11, 2009, Nikki Haley was endorsed by Jenny Sanford, the first lady of South Carolina.[18] Haley was also endorsed by former Alaska Governor and GOP Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin and former Massachusetts Governor and GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney.[6][5]

Personal life

Haley was raised in a Sikh family but identifies herself as a Christian[19] and sits on the board for Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church, Medmission, although she is reported as having said she attends both Methodist and Sikh services.[20] On September 6, 1996 she married Michael Haley in a Methodist church ceremony. Michael is a federal employee with the United States Department of the Army and an officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard. Together they have two children, Rena and Nalin. Haley's brother Mitti is an active duty officer who has served in the U.S. Army for the past 20 years.

Controversy during candidacy

Allegations of Affairs

On May 24, 2010, Will Folks, former press secretary for South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, made a claim on his blog that he had an inappropriate physical relationship with Haley "several years ago".[21] Haley has denied the claim, stating "I have been 100 percent faithful to my husband throughout our 13 years of marriage. This claim against me is categorically and totally false."[22] Folks has attempted to substantiate his claim by releasing phone records that he alleges shows 700 calls between the two while Folks was working as a political consultant for the Haley campaign.[23][24] The New York Times reported Folks' claim that he revealed the alleged affair because:

"... Ms. Haley’s political enemies were shopping a story about their alleged relationship, which he told reporters took place in 2007 when he worked for her campaign as a political consultant. (Mr. Folks married the following year.) In his blog posts, Mr. Folks said that he warned the Haley campaign of the leaks, and that he was “forced” to “pre-emptively” acknowledge the relationship." [25]

On Friday May 28, Erick Erickson of the conservative RedState Blog wrote that he will be releasing "evidence that the Folks allegations are false and were initiated by a rival political campaign."[26] Later that day, Erikson wrote, "I have no clue if anyone is behind Will Folks doing this." Erickson also wrote, "With apologies to RedState readers, [...] I’ve had no hesitation in stringing the media along like Folks has done."[27][28]

On June 3, 2010 Larry Marchant, a former political consultant for Haley opponent Andre Bauer, stated that he had a physical relationship with Nikki Haley. He made the statements one day after resigning from the Bauer campaign.[29]

Haley has indicated that she would resign her post if either relationship is proven.[30]

Raghead comment against Haley

On June 3rd, 2010, on the internet political talk show Pub Politics, Sen. Jake Knotts, a South Carolina lawmaker and supporter of Haley opponent Andre Bauer, repeatedly refered to Haley as a "raghead" or "f--king raghead", saying "We've already got a raghead in the White House, we don't need another raghead in the governor's mansion." The Republican state legislator refused to apologize for the slur, saying the remarks about President Barack Obama and state Rep. Nikki Haley were meant as a joke.[31][32] Haley campaign manager Tim Pearson called Knotts "an embarrassment to our state and to the Republican Party."

References

  1. ^ Nikki Haley wins landslide in South Carolina Rediff - November 8, 2008
  2. ^ Voters Embraced American Dream in Choosing Nikki Haley by Brad Warthen, The State.com (S.C) June 27, 2004
  3. ^ Belles of the South Audrey/Asian Women's Magaine - April/May 06'
  4. ^ a b Rep. Haley announces bid to become state's first female governor HeraldOnline.com (S.C) May 14, 2009
  5. ^ a b Kraushaar, Josh (3/16/10). "Romney backs Haley in S.C." Politico. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b Shaking it up in South Carolina with Nikki Haley Sarah Palin, Facebook - May 14, 2010
  7. ^ http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/governor/sc/south_carolina_governor_republican_primary-1360.html
  8. ^ http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/governor/sc/south_carolina_governor_haley_vs_rex-1573.html
  9. ^ http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_governor_elections/south_carolina/election_2010_south_carolina_republican_primary_for_governor
  10. ^ Raj Randhawa Takes Her Family Business from Strength to Strength - NRI Achievers
  11. ^ a b c Nikki Haley in runoff for South Carolina Assembly Republican Primaries Indian American Center for Political Awareness - 2004
  12. ^ a b Representative Nikki Randhawa Haley - South Carolina General Assembly
  13. ^ a b Representative Nikki Randhawa Haley Bio - Official Site
  14. ^ NRI Nikki Randhawa-Haley eyes South Carolina assembly NRIInternet
  15. ^ Nikki Randhawa wins in S Carolina NRI Internet - November 3, 2004
  16. ^ Washington June 10, 2004: Nikki Randhawa, NRI, Sikh Busimess woman won the run-off election to the South Carolina State Assembly NRI Internet - June 10, 2004
  17. ^ Sikh American woman is Republican whip The Tribune, Chandigarh - January 18, 2006
  18. ^ Barr, Andy (11/11/09). "Jenny Sanford endorses in gov race". Politico. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ Nikki Haley for South Carolina Governor. Truth in Facts - Question: Is Nikki a Christian? Accessed October 25, 2009.
  20. ^ [1]
  21. ^ Will Folks: Letting the Chips Fall. Accessed May 25, 2010.
  22. ^ Associated Press. Sex, scandal again in South Carolina political air. Accessed May 25, 2010.
  23. ^ http://www.heraldonline.com/2010/05/30/2205031/bloggers-claims-of-affair-take.html
  24. ^ http://www.fitsnews.com/2010/05/28/haley-gate-night-calls/
  25. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/us/politics/26haley.html?scp=1&sq=scandal&st=cse
  26. ^ http://www.redstate.com/erick/2010/05/28/naming-names/
  27. ^ Erickson, Erick, "Letting the Chips Fall Where They May , 1:54 p.m. EDT, May 28, Redstate blog, retrieved May 30, 2010
  28. ^ York, Byron, "Scandal, South Carolina politics, and the Erick Erickson hoax", 8 a.m., May 30, 2010, Beltway Confidential blog, Washington Examiner website, retrieved same day
  29. ^ http://www2.scnow.com/scp/news/local/pee_dee/article/bauer_makes_gubernatorial_campaign_stop_in_florence/178238/
  30. ^ Barr, Andy. Nikki Haley will 'resign' if affairs proved. Politico. 4 June 2010.
  31. ^ http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/0610/742951.html
  32. ^ http://www.free-times.com/index.php?cat=1992209084141467&act=post&pid=11860406103619087
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