Posted on 05/20/2010 7:27:27 PM PDT by curth
(CNN) - After a poll Thursday showed Tea Party favorite Nikki Haley surging to the front of the pack in the race for the South Carolina's Republican gubernatorial nomination, her opponents acknowledged - but sought to downplay - her fresh momentum.
Haley, a state representative with little money and a meager statewide profile, entered the race last year as a dark horse candidate after supporters of Gov. Mark Sanford urged her to run under the reform mantle. Her small government views won over national conservative activists, but she struggled to make headway in her own four-way GOP primary.
That changed in recent weeks after Haley netted a surprise endorsement from Sarah Palin, who traveled to Columbia to appear with Haley at a rally. ReformSC, an advocacy group funded by allies of Sanford, ran TV ads backing her candidacy. Haley's campaign also went on the air with a tough ad attacking her rivals - Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, Attorney General Henry McMaster and Rep. Gresham Barrett.
A candidate must capture 50 percent of the vote in the June 8 primary, an unlikely prospect that means the race will probably result in a runoff between the top two vote-getters.
Haley campaign manager Tim Pearson said in an e-mail to supporters Thursday that "our campaign is in the strongest position we've ever been" - a claim Haley's rivals aren't disputing.
McMaster's campaign admitted Thursday that their once little-known opponent is riding high.
"There is no question State Rep. Haley has enjoyed a temporary bump in the polls, which is not surprising," said McMaster consultant Richard Quinn in a statement. "However, our research and experience shows most Republican voters are ultimately suspicious of unknown candidates with slick TV campaigns promising hope and change. A majority prefer conservative reformers with a record of results."
(Excerpt) Read more at politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com ...
Thanks to Sarah....her endorsements mean a lot for the most part
This must be the poll they refer to but never actually mention or say what the results are:
With South Carolina’s Republican Primary for Governor less than three weeks away, State Representative Nikki Haley, coming off a fresh endorsement by Sarah Palin, now leads the GOP pack.
A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary voters shows Haley earning 30% support. She’s followed by State Attorney General Henry McMaster who picks up 19% and Congressman Gresham Barrett with 17%. Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer captures 12% of the vote.
Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate in the race, but nearly one-in-five potential primary voters (18%) remain undecided.
The new findings mark a dramatic turn of events for Haley who ran fourth in March with just 12% support.r McMaster earned 21% of the vote at that time, with Bauer at 17% and Barrett at 14%.
McMaster has generally been viewed as the front-runner in the race for weeks.
Go Nikki Go!
Hmmm, everybody I’ve talked to here in Myrtle Beach likes Andre.
Isn’t Nikki Haley of Sikh ancestry? I believe her maiden name is Randhawa.
And that matters because...?
Just an interesting tidbit.
So well said [/s] as another RINO bites the dust. Amazing how clueless the political establishment is. It is like a purveyor of well-known beverages who got caught lacing his product with rat poison, wondering why his add campaign no longer sells product.
Yep....Sarah’s endorsement gold....Barry’s is the touch of death! PLEASE... OBAMA go out and “help” as many Democrat Congress Critters as possible!
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