SC Gov R: Nikki Haley goes negative

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

(link - The State)

The Club for Growth has decided to support Nikki Haley.  I like her but I loathe the Club for Growth, yet if CfG was going to get involved in the race, it makes sense that they would support her goven the positions of the GOP candidadtes.  So this isn't the questionable support I'm talking about.

(link- The State)

Rather it's ReformSC, which back in 2008 was Gov. Sanford's tool to attempt to influence primary races.  It's officially has non-profit status, so it can't back candidates in races, but it can tell people all about various legislation it thinks is wonderful or awful, and its current emphasis is H. 3047, a bill sponsored by Rep. Nikki Haley that would require more roll call votes in the General Assembly.  It's one of her signature issues and one of the reasons she hasn't made many friends in the GA.

I happen to think the bill is a good idea, but this is a sneaky way of funding an election campaign.  Haley's campaign is officially denying that they have anything to do with the ads, but the timing is certainly awfully convenient for her.

[Lunar]

Haley was always Sanford's candidate, and I'm impressed she's managed to maintain her stature despite his scandal (which I thought would end her).

There's no question as to where Sanford's people are gravitating for like 8 months now and I don't think it's really that sneaky at all.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

It's no sneakier than politics as usual, but it's rather hypocritical for some one who campaigns on being against politics as usual.

Still, it likely means she's gravitated from having a snowball's chance in Hell of winning to a snowball's chance in Purgatory.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, she really shot herself in the foot by not aiming lower; the open Lt. Governor seat would probably have been hers for the taking.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, she really shot herself in the foot by not aiming lower; the open Lt. Governor seat would probably have been hers for the taking.

Probably not.  I don't think that those who are providing her funding would have done so to the point of giving her an advantage in that race.  Besides, the Lt, Gov. seat has traditionally not been much of a launching post to the Governor's Mansion.  Only three have gotten there by election. (Four if you count Gov. McLeod back in the 1920's, but he'd been Lt. Gov. twelve years earlier.)

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I like Nikki, and she's my girl in this race. I just hope Andre Bauer doesn't get the nod. Henry McMaster seems a little lazy as well. I don't necessarily want a guy who sounds like a farmer to be my governor. Ah, well.

[SamInTheSouth]

I intend on voting for Haley as well in the primary.

[Lunar]

I intend on voting for Haley as well in the primary.

What's funny is that I would too if I were you, even though she has the backing of all the nuts, at least she's not tied to the problems of the SC GOP establishment.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I intend on voting for Haley as well in the primary.

What's funny is that I would too if I were you, even though she has the backing of all the nuts, at least she's not tied to the problems of the SC GOP establishment.

I wouldn't call Romney a nut.

[Lunar]

I intend on voting for Haley as well in the primary.

What's funny is that I would too if I were you, even though she has the backing of all the nuts, at least she's not tied to the problems of the SC GOP establishment.

I wouldn't call Romney a nut.

Romney was late to the game in terms of endorsing Haley.  He saw Haley was picking up steam and wanted cred among the conservative netroots etc. in an early primary state where the establishment is all behind candidates that wouldn't support Romney anyway

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Romney was late to the game in terms of endorsing Haley.  He saw Haley was picking up steam and wanted cred among the conservative netroots etc. in an early primary state where the establishment is all behind candidates that wouldn't support Romney anyway

I saw it more as backing a candidate who wouldn't upset the eventual winner if he guessed wrong.  I do wish someone would release a poll on the governor's race since the campaign has started in earnest.  Haley has gained some momentum of late and might be able to make the runoff now.

However, he endorsed Haley two months ago when the campaign was just officially starting and well before she was picking up steam.  Palin is the latecomer here.

[Lunar]

I thought Romney endorsed Haley in April?

edit: Nevermind, he endorsed her March 16th, exactly two months ago to the day.  

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I thought Romney endorsed Haley in April?

edit: Nevermind, he endorsed her March 16th, exactly two months ago to the day.  

Back on April 1 is when he did some stumping for Haley since he was coming here anyway to give a speech at The Citadel, but as you noted, mid-March is when he released his endorsement.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Probably could have started a new thread on this, but since the Haley thread was still on the front page, I decided not to.

(link - The State)

Haley finally brought out a TV ad of her own and went negative on all three of her opponents, and not in a fully accurate manner. Worse than that, in the case of her attacks on Bauer and McMaster, she accuses them of things I don't find at all offensive.

Barrett also released a less than stellar ad today pledging to pass a "common-sense Arizona law", but at least that's good old-fashioned throw-the-wingnuts-some-red-meat type ad.  Doesn't make me want to vote for him, but it doesn't make want to not vote for him either.

At this point my GOP gubernatorial rankings are:
1. McMaster
2. Barrett
3. Haley
18. Bauer

But I could still see the rankings for 1,2, and 3 changing to any other ordering of those three.

[Lunar]

Negative attack ads should almost NEVER be run against more than one opponent unless they are all guilty of the same thing (they're all Washington Insiders, they all took money from some corrupt figure, etc).  Otherwise the messaging gets confusing and the attacker looks mean.  Like, the premise behind most attack ads should always be kind of "Normally I wouldn't launch an attack ad, but this thing my opponent did is SOOOOOO bad, I felt forced."

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Impressive. Should be enough to let her make the runoff, but I'm less sangune about her chances of winning it.  I think the supporters of McMaster and Barrett would generally prefer the other over her.  It's shame they didn't ask a second preference question.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

I really don't understand South Carolina.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I just got that emsil today. I'm surprised she has risen that much so quickly. I hope she can hold the lead but I doubt she cam beat McMaster or Barret straight up.