First Nikki Haley Ad to Hit Airwaves Next Week

UPDATED: The comments of Tim Pearson were added after initial publication.

Even though a potential rematch against Democrat Vincent Sheheen is 18 months away, the first campaign ad of Gov. Nikki Haley's re-election bid is set to hit South Carolina airwaves net week, according to an article in Politico.

The ad is paid for by The Movement Fund, a PAC that supports the governor and has raised over $500,000. 

The ads will appear in Charleston, Greenville and Myrtle Beach television markets at a cost estimated to be $130,000. They arrive before Haley has confirmed she'll seek a second term, although she has set up fundraising teams across the state.

Tim Pearson, Haley's Senior Advisor told Patch, "The Movement Fund ads will be asking the public to engage in a legislative issue that is of great importance to the state of South Carolina."

Haley defeated Sheheen by four points in 2010 and recent polls show them virtually deadlocked.

South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Dick Harpootlian told Patch the early ads are a sign that Haley is desperate.

"No one has ever run an ad this early in the cycle as far as I can remember," Harpootlian said.

"If you can't govern appropriately you create an ad that says you can," he said. "She's trying to make chicken 'doo-doo" into chicken salad and the people of South Carolina aren't interested in tasting it."

Harpootlian also said he expects Sheheen to able to compete financially with Haley. Sheheen announced his candidacy earlier this month.

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