SC-Gov: Vincent Sheheen (D) to challenge Gov. Nikki Haley (R) again in 2014

[Tender Branson]

He only lost 51-47 in the very Republican year 2010, so this might become a competetive race again. Considering Haley's numbers were not really good lately ...



http://www.thestate.com/2013/04/10/2716848/sheheen-announces-another-run.html

[Sol]

Not too surprising, but if I were Haley, I'd be sweating.

[Miles]

Good. Though its not 2010 anymore, the trade off is that Haley has incumbency, FWIW.

[Maxwell]

Not too surprising, but if I were Haley, I'd be sweating.

[free my dawg]

The good news keeps rolling in.

[Old Man Svensson]

Good. Though its not 2010 anymore, the trade off is that Haley has incumbency, FWIW.

Considering no one likes her, I'm not sure that's really an advantage.

I'll be pulling for him.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

He'd be a Governor now if not for the insanely Republican wave of 2010. Let's hope 2014 is not a bad year for us.

[old timey villain]

Is the close result of the 2010 race attributed more to Nikki Haley's flaws or the strength of Sheheen as a candidate?

If it's the former then I see Haley puling it out in 2014, as any controversy surrounding her personal life or ethnicity will be negated by an incumbency advantage. If it's the latter then Sheheen could definitely win. Haley isn't too popular in SC I believe (could anybody give me some insight into why this is?) and 2014 probably won't be a wave in either direction.

[nolesfan2011]

Good. Though its not 2010 anymore, the trade off is that Haley has incumbency, FWIW.

Considering no one likes her, I'm not sure that's really an advantage.

I'll be pulling for him.

Sheheen at least gives Dems a chance, this race isn't a "toss-up" quite yet, but it could become one if Haley continues to tread water.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

What has Haley done to make her so unpopular anyway?

[Vosem]

Didn't PPP show him up against Haley in January? This race hasn't gotten a lot of play but it's one of the Democrats best pickup opportunities gubernatorially, probably only after MI, PA, and FL. 

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

[JacobNC]

Is the close result of the 2010 race attributed more to Nikki Haley's flaws or the strength of Sheheen as a candidate?

Mostly due to the extreme unpopularity of Republican Gov. Mark Sanford.  Haley was his hand picked successor.  But Sheheen is a very good campaigner, and very bright too.

What has Haley done to make her so unpopular anyway?

Well, she's continued Mark Sanford's destruction of state government, so much so that even conservative Republicans are shaking their heads.  Just recently there was a scandal when the state tax department was hacked which put millions of peoples' credit card info in danger.  Basically a result of Haley/Sanford choking state gov't with lack of funding - they couldn't afford to get new computers or anti-hacking software.

Haley has also been at odds with the SC Republican legislature.  Many of them hate her; notably one of her extreme proposals was absolutely destroyed by the house, failing 0-115.  This is the same legislature that tried to impeach fellow Republican Mark Sanford.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Didn't PPP show him up against Haley in January? This race hasn't gotten a lot of play but it's one of the Democrats best pickup opportunities gubernatorially, probably only after MI, PA, and FL. 

I really don't think that Snyder is going to run for reelection, and even if Corbett does, he'll have to fend off a primary challenge first.

[ajc0918]

Not too surprising, but if I were Haley, I'd be sweating.

lolz

[Zioneer]

If Sheeheen can do some fundraising, he'll probably trounce Haley.

[Governor Zeeland]

Why would they elect him in 2014 if they didn't in 2010? Just like Ovide Lamontagne in New Hampshire, Linda McMahon in Connecticut or John Raese in West Virginia...once a looser, right?

And by the way, Nikki Haley is awesome!

[Maxwell]

Why would they elect him in 2014 if they didn't in 2010? Just like Ovide Lamontagne in New Hampshire, Linda McMahon in Connecticut or John Raese in West Virginia...once a looser, right?

And by the way, Nikki Haley is awesome!

Now I see somewhat your point, but I think Sheheen, if he loses, would be more relatable to Harvey Gantt. That, and 2010 was a very strong year for Republicans, yet Sheheen only lost to Haley by 4, so I think he has a big shot at this, particularly because polling shows him up on Haley 47-44.

Now, the candidates you listed were basically perennial type candidates: candidates that had enough money on their own to run again and again, I don't think Sheheen is that.

[Governor Zeeland]

True, but since Nikki Haleys approval is climbing up(even as of this week), and with  Sheheens years in the statehouse, he will probably loose again. As for 2010, I think racism as well as accusations of extramarital affairs played a role; indian-american woman accused of extra marital affairs vs. white male from rural SC with somewhat moderate votes..

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Sheheen will at least be able to keep it close, but for him to have an even chance or better required Romney to beat Obama and the economy to sour.

Now he needs the economy to do middling.  If it's poor, Obama will get the blame and if it's good, Haley will get the credit.  Or else he needs Haley to make a major blunder, but at least in that respect she hasn't been following in the footsteps of Sanford. (Plus she probably carries a proper pocket flashlight in her purse so that she doesn't need to use a cellphone for that.)

[Consciously Unconscious]

According to the Greenville News, Nikki Haley's poll numbers have been steadily rising.   The upstate, Charleston, and a few other counties will give Haley the election though.  Though I don't agree with everything she's done, I don't think she's a bad minister.  It will be more interesting to see how Lindsay Graham does.  If he wins the primary (which he probably will), then the right Democrat could definitely beat him.

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

Why would they elect him in 2014 if they didn't in 2010? Just like Ovide Lamontagne in New Hampshire, Linda McMahon in Connecticut or John Raese in West Virginia...once a looser, right?

And by the way, Nikki Haley is awesome!

Because losing a race once means you'll never win again.

[RogueBeaver]

Good news that Haley's recovering, I've liked her since the first primary. I think part of her problem is structural- a weak governorship and strong legislature.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

According to the Greenville News, Nikki Haley's poll numbers have been steadily rising.   The upstate, Charleston, and a few other counties will give Haley the election though.  Though I don't agree with everything she's done, I don't think she's a bad minister.  It will be more interesting to see how Lindsay Graham does.  If he wins the primary (which he probably will), then the right Democrat could definitely beat him.

The only way Graham loses the general election is if he gets caught with a live boy or a dead girl in his bed.  His only real worry is  primary race, but his poll numbers among Republicans would have to keep dropping like they have the past couple of months for him to be vulnerable.  Any primary opponent who would be a real threat to him is likely going to need to raise at least a million dollars by the end of the year.

[Consciously Unconscious]

The only way Graham loses the general election is if he gets caught with a live boy or a dead girl in his bed.  His only real worry is  primary race, but his poll numbers among Republicans would have to keep dropping like they have the past couple of months for him to be vulnerable.  Any primary opponent who would be a real threat to him is likely going to need to raise at least a million dollars by the end of the year.

Graham isn't very conservative though.    Some conservatives will stay home, allowing a strong democratic candidate to win.  Though his chances of losing are slim, that's true.  I think Graham has a large amount of funding stored up though, so it will be hard to beat him.  If you live in South Carolina you know what I mean.  Advertisements for him are all over the internet.  Tim Scott is safe though.  Back on topic, Nikki Haley is probably going to win.   She represents an anti federal government (Tea Party) movement which is still fairly popular in South Carolina.  The democratic counties can't really upset the upstate, Charleston, and the other counties won fairly easily by a Republican.