Haley ends speculation, announces for governor
As was reported here two weeks ago, Rep. Nikki Haley is running for the Republican nomination for governor, making the announcement with a news conference and an email blast.
In a statement, she said, “For more than five years I’ve sat in the statehouse and watched — sometimes in disbelief — as our state government has spent with abandon and in the process wasted taxpayer dollar after taxpayer dollar. I know what good government can look like. I’m running for Governor so the people of this state will know what it feels like.” [Never mind that State House should be two words and capitalized or that governor should be in lowercase. Love it when hacks write news releases. -- ed.]
The Lexington County resident is taking up the flag of Gov. Mark Sanford, which was unceremoniously dropped by former State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel when he got busted for cocaine. Already, Sanford has released a statement all but backing her candidacy.
“Nikki Haley is a true conservative and one of our state’s leading voices for fiscal responsibility and government reform,” he said. “It’s too early to endorse anyone, but I would say Nikki Haley would make a terrific and inspiring choice as governor, and she’s a great addition to the field of candidates.”
As has been mentioned before, Haley has some problems, right out of the gate.
- Money | The Big 3 have it, and she doesn’t. Atty. Gen. Henry McMaster and U.S. Rep Gresham Barrett both have over $1 million in the kitty, and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer has a solid stash, as well. Running in a safe House district does not lend itself to the sort of heavy fundraising one would need to mount a statewide bid, so she is working from behind, there. If, or more likely when, she gets plugged into Sanford’s Lowcountry donors and Howard Rich‘s largesse, she will be able to make up some ground, but it might not be enough. Remember: she has to make it to at least second in the six-way primary, then win the runoff.
- Name recognition | While journalists and political insiders know who Haley is, she is going to have to spend a lot of time and capital going around the state simply introducing herself to the voters. And, that’s before she can mix it up with the Big 3 on policies.
- Organization | Getting in after a lot of major donors and powerbrokers (and, for that matter, consultants) have cast their lot with other people is simply a bad position to work from. The Sanford connection got her Jon Lerner, but just how effective can the Governor’s power structure be in this race to make up the difference?
