Two South Carolina representatives will compete for it all over the course of the following year.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and sitting South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott have both launched campaigns for president this year. With the first Republican primary debate on Wednesday evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, here are two Palmetto State natives to watch.
Nikki Haley
Before office
Haley received an accounting degree from Clemson University in 1996 and currently holds a seat on the school’s board of trustees. Before running for governor, Haley served in the South Carolina State House from 2004 to 2010.
In office
Haley won the governor’s seat in 2010, becoming the first minority female governor in American history. As governor, Haley transformed South Carolina into an economic powerhouse as the state became known as the “Beast of the Southeast,” according to her campaign website. Additionally, South Carolina’s unemployment rate hit a 15-year low, saw over $20 billion in new capital investment and new jobs were created in every county in the state.
Haley also championed education policy in the Palmetto State by expanding school choice in the state. Additionally, she led South Carolina’s reconstruction efforts following Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and united South Carolinians after the devastating murders at the Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston and following the destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew.
After office
In 2016, President Donald Trump elected Haley to serve as the White House’s ambassador to the United Nations. That year, Haley left South Carolina to work in the Trump administration, and current Gov. Henry McMaster filled her seat.
Campaign
Haley launched her race for the White House earlier this year in Charleston, South Carolina. Since her initial announcement in February, Haley has spent significant time campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire, two states that are key to deciding the party’s primary nominee. Haley also visited the U.S.-Mexico border in Del Rio and Eagle Pass, Texas, and has made her way to New York, Florida, Connecticut, California and New Jersey.
Tim Scott
Before office
Prior to beginning his political career, Scott worked as an insurance agent and financial adviser. He proved to be a very successful businessman, starting his own insurance agency, Tim Scott Allstate.
In office
Scott has represented the Palmetto State for over a decade. Scott began his national political career in 2010 when he won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives serving South Carolina’s first congressional district.
Scott was appointed to his Senate seat in 2012 by then-governor and now-opponent Nikki Haley as retiring Sen. Jim DeMint’s replacement and has held his position ever since.
As a South Carolina senator, Scott is a ranking member of the U.S. Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and is the only African American Republican member in the Senate.
One of Scott’s major accomplishments in office was the creation of opportunity zones.
The opportunity zone initiative, authored by Scott, was passed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The program allows state governors to connect economically-distressed communities to a federal tax incentive with the intention of driving private investment into those locations.
Campaign
Scott, just like Haley, launched his campaign in the Palmetto State at his alma mater, Charleston Southern University, and is the only candidate in the race currently holding a congressional seat.
Scott has been actively campaigning since he launched his race, spending considerable time in Iowa and New Hampshire, two states that play a crucial role early in the primary race. He has also visited the U.S. Southern border in Yuma, Arizona, and has made trips to Washington, D.C., New York and California.
Current polling numbers
Haley: 3%
Scott: 3%
South Carolina (July 15-19)
Haley: 14%
Scott: 10%
2024 Presidential Election Calendar
January 15: Iowa Caucus: Iowa voters convene to discuss and nominate the GOP presidential candidate. Iowa is the first state to nominate a GOP candidate.
February 24: South Carolina voters cast ballots to nominate the GOP presidential candidate.
March 5: Voters from 15 states make their selection for the GOP presidential candidate. More states vote in primary elections on Super Tuesday than any other day.
July 15-18: The candidate that received the most support throughout the primary election cycle wins the nomination from the Republican party.
November 5: 2024 Presidential Election: American citizens vote to decide the next president of the United States.
