Can Haley Stay Above the Scandal?

As if South Carolina hasn't had Enough...

After the drama and political fallout that was the Governor Mark Sanford's widely publicized affair with a Brazilian woman, the current GOP front runner in the gubernatorial elections, Nikki Haley (R-SC) allegedly had an affair with not one, but two men while in office. With endorsements pouring in from Tea Party Darling Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, and the First Lady of South Carolina, Jenny Sanford; it now seems that her opponents may have turned to their last viable weapon, scandal. As of June 4th, two men (blogger Will Folks and lobbyist Larry Marchant) have come forward and announced their extramarital trysts involving the gubernatorial candidate. Haley's campaign has forcefully denounced these claims as being unfair and as a last ditch attempt to hijack her building momentum.

The Claims

During the last week of May, blogger Will Folks announced that he had had an extramarital affair with Rep. Nikki Haley and then the news media and other Republican campaigns picked up on this immediately. Her gubernatorial rival's campaigns, including those of Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and Rep. Gresham Barret. The Haley Campaign struck back by claiming that these defamations are only the last ditch effort for the "good ol' boys" to try and defeat her. She also had the power of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin who not only taped a video advertisement for her support, but also made a robot-caller tape, as well as a publicly released statement telling her to hang in there and drew parallels between her vice presidential candidacy and Haley's own campaign. After claims were launched that the rival campaigns had falsely spread these rumors, the so called 'mistress' became quite and the campaigns slowed there rhetoric about this allegation.

Then on June 2th, the tempest renewed at such a pace that I don't even think Nikki Haley knew what hit her. Insurance industry lobbyist and former Gresham Barret campaign adviser, Larry Marchant claimed that he to, had a one night stand with Rep. Haley. Ironically, the widely criticized Barret campaign was also the first one to wire this story to the news media. So let me quickly point out just a few of the oddest points in this case. First, Larry Marchant was a top adviser for her Haley's opponent Gresham Barret. Secondly, the Barret campaign was the first to release this information. Thirdly, this information was withheld until the very end of the campaign cycle when it seemed almost nothing could stop Haley's momentum. Finally, comes the fact that there really are no facts to prove either of these accusations. I don't know about you, but I smell petty politics at work here. Even the likely runner, Attorney General Henry McMaster up who will most likely face Haley in the Republican runoff has said that this is a disturbing and distasteful attempt to unseat Haley. (The Haley campaigned has thanked the McMaster campaigned but basically called it a little too little, a little to late)

The Aftermath

Besides the fact that Nikki Haley has forceful denounced these accusations as baseless attempts to impede her campaign, the counteractions have not ended there. On June 2nd, the Haley campaign aired it's third television ad showcasing the Haley family and picturing Haley, with her husband standing beside her, denouncing dirty politics and asking for voter support. Two days later came the McMaster comments that backed her but more surprising was the endorsement that came later that same day. On June 4th, Jenny Sanford, no stranger to extramarital drama herself, publicly announced her continued support for Nikki Haley and said that Haley's handling of this situation furthered her decision that Haley was the right person for governor. Sanford has leveled the argument that these allegations have only arisen because Haley stands as a person of small government and as a Tea Party favorite, which runs counter to the interests of the big state powerhouses in the Assembly. No reliable polls have been taken since this drama began but it seems that Nikki Haley's momentum has not slowed, in fact with the repeated emergence of big names endorsing her, it only seems to be furthering her campaign. The fact of the matter is, that in three days the primary elections will take place, and in an election that is all but assured, one has to wonder, will Haley be one of the final two?

Later,
Cody

(Photo: Courtesy of TheFire.com)