NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — As she launched South Carolina’s subsequent senator, then-Gov. Nikki Haley mentioned her determination to nominate Tim Scott was “pretty simple.”
“This man loves South Carolina,” Haley mentioned of Scott, a congressman on the time. “He is very aware that what he does and every vote he makes affects South Carolina and affects our country. And so it was with that, that I knew he was the right person.”
Scott was simply as effusive, praising Haley as somebody who ruled with “conviction” and “integrity.” He pledged to “get on the team with Nikki Haley to make sure that all of America continues to hear the great things about South Carolina.”
Haley and Scott are perpetually linked by that announcement on the South Carolina Statehouse on a winter day in 2012, cementing their standing as rising stars in a Republican Party pissed off by Barack Obama’s reelection only a month earlier. But almost a dozen years later, they discover themselves working in opposition to one another for the GOP presidential nomination. Haley launched her marketing campaign in February, and Scott formally introduced his on Monday.
Both carry historic potential, with Haley aiming to turn out to be the primary girl and first particular person of Indian descent to win the presidency. Scott could be the primary Black Republican president. But a lot of the race’s early consideration has centered on former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who may announce his personal bid as early as this week.
As the GOP area begins to take form, the Haley-Scott faceoff is placing a few of their mutual supporters within the essential early voting state of South Carolina in a conundrum as they weigh which candidate to help.
One of these longtime donors and backers is Mikee Johnson, a South Carolina businessman who has identified Haley since highschool and serves on the board of her Original Six Foundation, which gives after-school programming and literacy sources for youngsters in rural South Carolina faculty districts. But like many Republicans throughout the state, Johnson has additionally been a good friend and ally of Scott, for whom he’s serving as nationwide finance co-chair within the presidential race.
“I really admire all the things Nikki’s done, her friendship’s important to me, but at this point, I think his style is more what I would like to see our leaders – not just our president – aspire to getting things done in the style and approach that he goes about it,” Johnson mentioned.
Another is David Wilkins, who was South Carolina’s state House speaker when Haley was within the Legislature, later chairing her gubernatorial transition crew and now serving alongside her on the board of Clemson University. Saying he has the “greatest respect” for Scott, whom he has supported in his Senate bids, Wilkins – who additionally served as ambassador to Canada beneath President George W. Bush – mentioned his bond is stronger with Haley.
“He’s an outstanding senator, and we’re very proud of him here in South Carolina,” Wilkins mentioned, of Scott. “I just have a very strong friendship with her. It’s not choosing one person over another. It’s just going with the person that I believe in, that I’m dear friends with, somebody I’ve known for 20 years.”
The intertwined relationships of those that have supported each Haley and Scott mirror the politicians themselves, whose shared political historical past dates again additional than the pivotal Senate appointment. The two labored alongside one another for a single time period within the state House of Representatives, after Scott joined Haley within the chamber following the 2008 election.
That subsequent session, they each signed onto various resolutions and payments, together with a constitutional modification – finally accepted by the state’s voters – guaranteeing staff the suitable to voting by secret poll on union illustration.
They additionally teamed up, together with various co-sponsors, on different much less profitable payments, together with measures to audit state schooling funds, endow “rights of due process and equal protection” at fertilization and a “truth in spending” measure for all state and native authorities entities. Other measures that didn’t move would have made a number of statewide positions just like the agriculture commissioner, secretary of state and schooling superintendent appointed, not elected, positions.
In 2010, Scott briefly ran for lieutenant governor, finally abandoning that pursuit to hunt the first District seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Henry Brown. At that point, South Carolina’s governor and lieutenant governor have been elected individually; had Scott stayed in that race and gained it, he and Haley would have served collectively as South Carolina’s high officeholders.
But two years later, when Jim DeMint abruptly introduced his resignation from the Senate, the paths of Haley and Scott crossed but once more. Rob Godfrey, a longtime Haley adviser who served for a time as her chief spokesperson, mentioned the governor’s course of was deliberate, making a brief record that included Scott, Rep. Trey Gowdy and former first woman Jenny Sanford, ex-wife of former Gov. Mark Sanford, who was Haley’s predecessor.
Also on the quick record was former Attorney General Henry McMaster, one among Haley’s 2010 rivals who went on to turn out to be one among her largest backers and eventual successor. Catherine Templeton, a labor lawyer who Haley appointed to steer the state’s labor after which public well being companies, was into consideration as effectively.
“She took every one of those candidates and their background and their credentials and what they offered the state seriously during this process, and at the end of the day determined that there was one person who was best suited to take on the job and carry on the legacy of Sen. DeMint but also blaze his own trail,” Godfrey mentioned.
In choosing Scott, Haley mentioned she needed to nominate somebody she felt may retain the seat in subsequent elections, and who was in the identical ideological vein as DeMint.
“It’s not how much political experience you have, it’s about the fight,” Haley mentioned on the time. “It’s about the philosophical beliefs. It’s about knowing what you’re sent to Washington to do.”
Scott greater than proved Haley right, successful a 2014 particular election to fill the remaining two years of DeMint’s time period, then successful a full one among his personal two years later. Last fall, Scott gained reelection by greater than 20 proportion factors, a Senate race he had lengthy mentioned could be his final.
“Absolutely, she was thinking into the future,” mentioned Chad Connelly, who was state GOP chair on the time.
That future is now, as Haley and Scott compete in opposition to one another for the nation’s highest workplace. A day after Haley’s announcement, Scott launched into a “listening tour.” Haley has declined to remark about Scott when requested by The Associated Press.
“I have such great respect for Nikki Haley,” Scott mentioned in a latest interview, including he hadn’t spoken with Haley earlier than launching his exploratory committee. “She is a strong, powerful force for good.”
He additionally dismissed any awkwardness in working in opposition to the Republican who appointed him to the Senate, and with whom he could be in direct competitors in vying for the very voters that had elected them each statewide.
“You put your uniform on, you shake hands, and you go on the field. You fight for good. You fight to win the game,” Scott mentioned. “You take your uniform off, you shake hands and you continue down the road.”
“We were friends before,” he added. “We’ll be friends after.”
• This story was first printed April 20, 2023, and was republished May 22, 2023, after Scott‘s announcement that he’s working for president.
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