Gov. Nikki Haley

Latest News:

January 10, 2013

Gov. Haley’s husband Michael began his one year deployment to Afghanistan.

January 4, 2013

At a Statehouse press conference, Haley announced that Time Warner Cable would be opening an office in Lexington County that would employ more than 600 people.

December 20, 2012

Haley presented her 2013-2014 FY Budget and also publicly discussed the Newtown shooting for the first time.

December 17, 2012

Haley appointed Rep. Tim Scott to replace Jim DeMint in the United States Senate.

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Haley On Patch

All of Patch’s coverage of Nikki Haley can be found HERE.

Haley’s official web site can be found HERE.

Haley’s campaign web site can be found HERE.

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Haley on Social Media

Haley’s Twitter page can be viewed HERE.

Haley’s Facebook page can be viewed HERE.

Haley’s YouTube page can be viewed HERE.

Haley’s Flickr page can be viewed HERE.

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Haley Biography

When Nimrata Kaur Randhawa Haley, better known as Nikki, was elected governor of South Carolina on Nov. 2, 2010 she made history on multiple fronts. She was the first female and the first Indian-American to be elected to lead the Palmetto State. She was only the second Indian-American to be governor of any state. She was also elected governor before her 40th birthday.

Haley’s parents were born in India and moved to America before she was born. After graduating from Clemson, Haley entered the business world and eventually joined the family’s clothing business.

Haley began her political career in 2004 when she ran for the Lexington County seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives occupied by Larry Koon. Koon had held the seat for nearly 30 years. But Haley pulled the upset, first forcing a run-off and then beating Koon head-to-head.

In 2010, while still a virtual unknown across the state, Haley ran for Governor. Among her opponents in the Republican primary were the sitting Lieutenant Governor, a sitting Congressman and a former state Attorney General. But Haley jumped to the head of the pack by nabbing endorsements from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford.

The campaign was a bruising one, as Haley was the victim of racist attacks and a blogger accused her of conducting extramarital affairs, which she denied.

But Haley won the primary and then easily won a run-off to become the Republican nominee. She defeated Democrat Vincent Sheheen 51-47 percent.

Haley’s main focus as governor has been to improve South Carolina’s economy. Saddled with double-digit employment, Haley has been tireless in recruiting business to the Palmetto State. The state’s economic fortunes have improved, but unemployment is still a major issue in the state, particularly in rural areas.

Haley has not been a stranger to controversy, clashing with the media from time to time, facing ethics charges from other Republicans and engaging in spirited debates with the state legislature over everything from taxes to government reform. In the fall of 2012, the state’s Department of Revenue database was hacked into and more than three million Social Security numbers were exposed. The DOR chief eventually stepped down, but Haley also accepted responsibility for the breach occurring on her watch.

Since being elected governor, Haley has been a constant presence in the national spotlight. She appears regularly as a guest in national media outlets and has been profiled in publications such as The Atlantic and Vogue. 

Her book, “Can’t Is Not an Option” was published in 2012. At the 2012 Republican National Convention Haley was a featured speaker.

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