Newcomer Faces Trial by Fire in South Carolina

Nikki Haley at the South Carolina State House in May with Sarah Palin, who endorsed her gubernatorial bid.

From The Wall Street Journal:

South Carolina's famously rough politics are testing a relative newcomer who is hoping tea-party support will help her succeed embattled Gov. Mark Sanford.

State Rep. Nikki Haley has emerged from the back of the pack over the past month to take the lead in the polls ahead of Tuesday's Republican gubernatorial primary. Her message of limited government has resonated with voters, as well as the endorsements from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and one of the state's most popular political figures—the governor's ex-wife, Jenny Sanford.

But Mrs. Haley is navigating allegations of marital infidelity made by two men, one an influential blogger and the other a powerful lobbyist. She also has been questioned about her 1996 conversion to Christianity, and a political rival this week used an ethnic slur to challenge the Indian-American candidate's loyalty to the U.S.

Mrs. Haley denies the claims of infidelity, saying she has been "100% faithful" to her husband, Michael, who is featured in her campaign's new television ad and has called the allegations false and politically motivated.

Ms. Palin's endorsements in other states haven't appeared to be decisive, but in South Carolina her imprimatur has helped Mrs. Haley build momentum. Ms. Palin has recorded automated telephone messages asking voters to disregard "made-up nonsense" about Mrs. Haley.

Ms. Sanford said Friday that Mrs. Haley has her unwavering support. "I have watched with revulsion the spectacle that is now surrounding the governor's race," Ms. Sanford said.

GOP primaries aren't for the faint of heart in Republican-dominated South Carolina, where the winner usually sails to victory in the general election. The state's hardball style helped upend Sen. John McCain's presidential aspirations in 2000 amid rumors that his adopted Bangladeshi daughter was the product of an affair.

Mrs. Haley, 38 years old, is an unlikely front-runner. She has butted heads with the GOP legislative leadership and been demoted from key committee posts. She has neither the political networks nor the money of her rivals, Attorney General Henry McMaster, Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett.

N. Nikki Randhawa Haley grew up in rural central South Carolina after her parents emigrated from India. As a young accountant, she moved to suburban Columbia, where she lives with her husband and two children. She first ran for office in 2004, and ousted the longest-serving member of the House in one of the most conservative districts in the Bible Belt.

Mrs. Haley is a protege of Mr. Sanford and entered the gubernatorial contest in May 2009 as his ideological successor. Her bid seemed doomed when, a month later, Mr. Sanford dropped out of sight and subsequently acknowledged he was having an affair.

But rivals said her message of limited government, and her opposition to the federal economic-stimulus package, resonated with voters in an anti-incumbent mood. The recession and GOP in-fighting stymied campaign fundraising in the state, with Mrs. Haley's rivals spending less than expected on TV ads and direct mail. On May 14, Ms. Palin gave her endorsement.

Ten days later, blogger Will Folks wrote on his fitsnews.com website that he'd had an "inappropriate physical relationship" with Mrs. Haley. Mr. Folks, a former spokesman for Gov. Sanford and a Haley supporter, said he wanted to release the news on his blog, among the state's most popular, rather than see it appear in other news outlets, as he expected.

On Wednesday, lobbyist Larry Marchant resigned as an adviser to Mr. Bauer's campaign and alleged that he had had a one-night stand with Mrs. Haley. "I don't think that Nikki Haley would be a bad governor," Mr. Marchant said in an interview. "But the people of South Carolina need to know, on the heels of all that happened with Mark Sanford, that her statements just aren't true."

Mrs. Haley hasn't disputed the veracity of phone records provided by Mr. Folks showing nearly 700 phone calls, including some in the middle of the night. But Mrs. Haley noted that Mr. Folks worked briefly for her as a consultant, and that she works around the clock. As for Mr. Marchant, Mrs. Haley said his allegation is politically motivated.

Mrs. Haley said Friday that she would resign from office if proof of an affair emerged. Her allies said her career would be over if any allegations were proven true.

Tom Jensen, director of Public Policy Polling of Raleigh, N.C., said polls indicated Mrs. Haley would win Tuesday's vote. However, Mr. Jensen said Mrs. Haley's prospects could change between the primary and a likely June 22 runoff, depending on who emerges as her opponent.