SC

SC Appointment Drama: The Latest

NIKKI HALEY PLACES CONDITION ON WOULD-BE US SENATE APPOINTEES S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley released a statement this week saying that she didn’t want to “tie the hands” of prospective U.S. Senate appointments by making them pledge not to seek the office in 2014. “I do not want to tie the…

NIKKI HALEY PLACES CONDITION ON WOULD-BE US SENATE APPOINTEES

S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley released a statement this week saying that she didn’t want to “tie the hands” of prospective U.S. Senate appointments by making them pledge not to seek the office in 2014.

“I do not want to tie the next U.S. Senator from South Carolina’s hands regarding future office,” said Haley, who has until the end of the month to name an interim replacement to fill the seat being vacated by Jim DeMint.  ”I do not want to deprive our state’s citizens of the chance to render their judgment on the appointee’s performance by way of their vote.”

What did the governor leave out of this statement?

The fact that her former chief of staff Tim Pearson – who is running Haley’s vetting process for the Senate seat (hopefully better than he ran state government) – is extracting a promise from any would-be Senator regarding their “future office” plans.

That promise?

“Anyone who wants to be on the short list must affirmatively pledge to run for the seat in 2014,” a source familiar with the vetting told FITS.

So it turns out Haley is “tying the hands” of her appointment … insisting that the person she selects seek the U.S. Senate seat in two years.

What’s driving Haley’s thought process in all this?

Well, based on the results of two new polls released this month (here and here) Haley is clearly facing an uphill reelection climb.  Could it be that one of her objectives in this process is to eliminate a potential gubernatorial rival?

We’ll see …

***

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12 comments

Ryan December 11, 2012 at 10:34 am

If she’s wanting to eliminate a potential gubernatorial rival, she’ll appoint Curtis Loftis. Would keep him busy on the national stage and out of SC politics…which would be good for the Governor.

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Zany December 11, 2012 at 11:23 am

LOftis might not can beat her but he will bloody her up. It will cost her millions to beat him and then she is left standing there with little or no money, her reputation bruised, and looking at a well funded, tanned and rested Senator Sheehen.

We republicans are going to lose the gov’s mansion for the first time in years and honestly I think we deserve too. We govenrn like greedy school kids.

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carrie December 11, 2012 at 10:40 am

Maybe she does have someone in mind and is waiting for the response. I’m guessing it may be Jenny Sanford because she owes her big on winning the nomination and the election.
Note the related articles to this post.

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carrie December 11, 2012 at 10:41 am

Especially the First Lady’s family wants their money back.

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ex-neighbor December 11, 2012 at 10:54 am

Nope. Jenny probably knows about the China trip.

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carrie December 11, 2012 at 1:06 pm

Well she is on Haley’s short list anyway.

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rickie December 11, 2012 at 10:48 am

Why hasn’t she appointed someone by now?

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vicupstate December 11, 2012 at 12:18 pm

She is milking it, because it keeps her name in the national media. Can’t say I blame her, but another day or two and it starts to get ridiculous.

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james the foot soldier December 11, 2012 at 10:53 am

Blagoavich has some tips concerning the vetting “process”…

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Godslayer December 11, 2012 at 11:40 am

Maybe Nikki doesn’t realize how fucking golden this thing is.

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vicupstate December 11, 2012 at 12:21 pm

Political Wire reports:

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) has whittled down the list of people she is considering for Sen. Jim DeMint’s (R-SC) soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat to five people, CNN reports.

Her final choices: Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC), Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), former state Attorney General Henry McMaster (R), former South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford (R) and attorney Catherine Templeton (R).

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johnb December 11, 2012 at 12:35 pm

probably go the girl route

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