WITH U.S. SENATE APPOINTMENT DONE, NIKKI HALEY MUST NOW RETURN TO GOVERNING
U.S. Senator-designate Tim Scott wasn’t the only person to win big as a result of Jim DeMint’s surprise resignation from the U.S. Senate earlier this month. Embattled S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley may have benefited every bit as much as the politician she named to replace DeMint in Washington, D.C. for the next two years.
Not only did Haley’s appointment of Tim Scott give her the opportunity to make a historic selection – one that was exceedingly well-received both nationally and here at home – but it completely drowned out coverage of the massive hacking scandal at Haley’s Department of Revenue (SCDOR).
Also, while Scott wasn’t our first (or even fifth) pick to replace DeMint – Mick Mulvaney, Jeff Duncan, Tom Davis, Curtis Loftis or Alan Wilson would have been much better options, in our opinion – he’s not necessarily a terrible choice. He still has potential to live up to the fiscal promises he made during his 2010 campaign for the U.S. House … although he obviously has the potential to be another “Republican in Name Only” like U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.
It’s a simple choice, really.
Anyway, while Scott’s future path remains to be charted – no one is going to argue that Haley managed the process surrounding his appointment exceedingly well.
Haley needed such a diversion … badly. A Winthrop University poll published the day before DeMint’s announcement put Haley’s approval rating at 38 percent. Meanwhile a Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey taken a few days later had her approval rating at 42 percent – with 49 percent of South Carolinians disapproving of her job performance.
Those numbers are awful …
So … will Haley get a “Tim Scott bump?” Probably … although as we’ve noted previously endorsements and appointments (even high profile ones) don’t necessarily translate into prolonged surges in popularity. That’s especially true for Haley – who is struggling to keep more than 6 of 10 Republicans in her tent and is getting absolutely shredded among independent voters.
Haley’s problem? Now that the appointment process has drawn to a close she must refocus her efforts on addressing the scandals that have dogged her during her first term in office – while simultaneously preparing a budget and legislative agenda for a critical session of the S.C. General Assembly.
Those are tall orders … and thus far Haley has proven thoroughly incapable of filling them.
Still, Christmas came early for Nikki Haley this year … and it’s hard to argue that the governor didn’t make the most out of a desperately needed political gift.
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25 comments
The Brilliant Choice for US Senate would have been Sen. Vincent Sheheen. A Democrat. Why, because: SC is a poor little no power State that has voted out every bit of power we have in Washington.
The only person who can bring a damn thing back to SC in Federal Money is Jim Clyburn. Sorry, Tea Party Worshipers: you have ruined SC in Washington. DeMinted got kicked out of the GOP inner circle by Boehner. Every GOP person in Wash. hates the Tea Party, and DeMinted was seen as the Ring Leader. So, the Crook took the money and ran.
SC’s power in the past has come from having key Senior Federal Officers in both parties located in critical committee positions. That way, no matter who won, SC always wins. That’s why Strom Thurmond and Fritz Hollins always kept SC in control. Along, with major House members like Mendel Rivers.
Now, all we have are rotten GOP right wing Religious fools with no power in Wash to do a damn thing for SC Citizens. The Democrats control everything, and just laugh at our SC GOP Dolts. It’s just a fact!!!
Politics is a game of control, and SC Citizens have been played for fools, and have given all their power to corrupt outside State Interests. Just look at the idiot Haley, and this stupid Tim Scott appointment. Just Dumb Ass.
Besides: by appointing Sheheen, Haley would have eliminate her competition for Governor in the next election. The Democrats are so worthless, they don’t have any other candidates worth a toot to run.
If you can’t run with the big dogs, then SC, you need to stay on the porch!!!
I guess you think it was logical to add only NAZIs to Hitler’s inner-circle too…
In other Words: You don’t cure a disease by adding more contamination…unless you’re just trying to speed the Collpase, so the idiots who voted Obama in, will finally figure it out…
The difference in the intelligence between Bill’s post and T’s post is mind boggling.
Good analysis. I only wish more cogent opinions like this were offered here. Thanks for the logic, intelligence and reasoning displayed in your comments.
This Nazi fetish of Big T’s is getting as uncomfortable as the other garbage he writes. Definitely telling.
Since the majority of SC citizens are SCGOPers, I think it’s a given that they actually are fools, and not just played as.
And South Carolina continues to sit on the porch. I truly believe that many reubs are in for BIG surprise in the next couple of elections. Just sayin.
I believe Haley only appointed Tim Scott to get more national recognition for herself and to divert attention from the fact DOR and poll numbers show her true lack of leadership and that she is self-serving.
I am sorry Fits – for the first time I have to disagree with you. You claim that Nikki Haley managed the process surrounding Tim Scott’s appointment exceedingly well.
She made a joke of the whole process of appointing a replacement for Jim DeMint. It was an embarrassment on a nation wide basis. She let the whole United States see what a flaming idiot she is. The whole time all she was selfishly looking for was attention – she looks sleazy and acts even worse. Nikki Haley needs a stylist to teach her how to dress-she has been known to were the same suit 2 days in a row – was noticed at the RNC. The 70’s want their clothes back. She needs to dump those sleazy boots that she seems to think makes her look good – they make her look like a street walker and there have been numerously comments about the boots. If you were governor – wouldn’t you want to be known for your merits and not the fact that you look and act like a street walker????
Where are her outfits from Exotica? The current website now only directs to setting up trunk shows. Several years ago it had classy dress and sports outfits. Nikki wears nothing to match them. Is the retail store still open?
The former website presented many photos of their outfits – worn by super-fine models. Now only a few are shown.
“wear the same suit two days in a row”
That can happen after a night of partying. You pass out in your clothes, wake up the next day, realize you’re late, jump up, put some smellum on the stinky parts and get the hell outta dodge and hope no one notices.
I don’t have any personal experiences with those types of things, but some of my friends tell me it can happen.
Yeah, kind of reminds one of Hillery’s one pants suit wardrobe.
And FITS gets back to his constant and mindless BLASTING of Haley…
When you are as value-deficient as FITS has proven to be: Bashing Haley actually improves her image…
Something ’bout: Consider the Source….And the attack loses all luster…
Your support of Haley diminishes any actual improvement in her image.
You are the problem…the shining example of what’s wrong in America, and particularly SC…you vote like a fucking brainless ahole.
How long did it take you to think of that?…oooppps…you didn’t think of it…as ususal, you brain-dead, cliche idiot just rode my idea….
You Liberals, sure are some un-creative, dumb-F$%*s…
How ’bout ask Santa to bring you a mind..so you can quit trying to steal mine…
I wish you couldn’t vote. Honestly, if you fear much more, you’ll be digging a hole for your trailer outside of Lancaster. Truth be told, you may have already set up your apocalypse trailer the moment Obama was elected.
That’s exactly how we view your posts. We “consider the source” and just dismiss your mindless crap.
Nothing in your post makes sense, Racist T, so we can disregard it. People with your mind usually end up in jail or clutching a suicide note stained with what’s left of their brains.
But your use of “oooppps” is telling. Just the way your boy Rick Perry said it. Good call on that presidential predicition.
So: your attempts to reveal your mind show us: You BASH poor people (who live in trailers.) And anyone who disagree w/ you are suicidal…
Face it: you HATE me because I go directly at your failed politics…I don’t argue from your premise of Ignorance. Therefore: you’d rather take me down than defend your stupidity….
To be honest BigT I was raised in a trailer. So I don’t see the relevance of your statement. Good try though, I applaud your ingenuity.
“Must Now Return to Governing” somehow implies she’s actually spent time governing in the past, yet I see no evidence of that.
Eeww…. Stinky parts!!!
You actually felt that “Clemson’s football star and hero of the “scout team” for a season, lil jeff duncan would had been a better selection than Scott? Hmmm, how can we take this blog seriously anymore?
Good point Freddie. No one should be elected to any public office without starting team football experience. Does anybody think that Obama would have been elected pres. if he hadnt taken Harvard to 4 straight bcs bowl victories?