South Carolina is known for its bare-knuckled, hardball campaigns. What that means in real terms is that false information is often thrown around in an effort to undermine campaigns. South Carolina’s political insiders are famous for it.
I got into this race to make a difference for the people of South Carolina, to reform government and stop the corruption. The need for a forum like this is representative of an unfortunate part of campaigning, but it is necessary, and so we will continue to update it as others push out misinformation about me, our campaign, and the direction we believe our state needs to move.
Consider this our campaign’s way of going directly to you – around the noise and the distractions and the biases – to set the record straight.
My very best,
Nikki
Question: Did Nikki Haley support South Carolina taking stimulus dollars?
Truth: No. Nikki Haley voted AGAINST the stimulus package pushed down from Washington. On May 12th of last year, she voted against S.577, the bill that ultimately forced Governor Sanford to accept the stimulus money. She also voted against H.3560, which was the final state budget that contained stimulus dollars. In addition, Nikki proposed a 24-hour reading period before the state budget was voted on in an attempt to force legislators to read the bill before voting on it. Her effort was rejected. These are votes she is proud of – and her opposition to the stimulus is a position that none of the other candidates for governor has been willing to take – not when the debate was happening, and not now.
Question: Does Nikki support mandatory HPV vaccines for middle-school girls?
Truth: Two quotes of note:
Nikki Haley: “I was a co-sponsor of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Act. However, through the legislative process, it became clear to me that an opt-out provision was not going to be included in the bill and it sought to mandate that middle-school girls obtain a vaccine – and strip parents of the right to make the choice for their daughter. In light of that turn of events, I voted to kill the bill.
I am the mother of an 11-year old daughter, and I believe that the best decisions for her are made by my husband and me. I believe the same is true for every child in this state. It is that belief that led me to vote to kill this bill – and it is the same reason I will oppose any government mandates on vaccines, whether they be for HPV, H1N1, or any other.”
Sheri Few, President, SC Parents Involved in Education: “I was the lead opponent of this bill, actively fighting it at the State House, and I’ve also known Nikki Haley for some time. She has always fought to keep government out of the lives of private citizens, and that’s why, when she recognized the fact that she had been misled by those pushing the bill, she voted to kill it. Nikki was not the only one misled – more than a third of Republicans in the House cosponsored the bill. When the facts came to light, even the primary sponsor moved to kill her own bill and it was defeated – an action that included Representative Haley’s vote against it.”
Question: What is the real story about Nikki’s trip to China?
Truth: Background – Nikki, along with several South Carolina CEOs, Commerce Department officials, the governor, and other legislators attended the World Economic Forum in China in 2007. The trip was run by the Commerce Department, which means all her travel arrangements were scheduled by Commerce. During the trip Nikki flew Business Class, as did all legislators asked to travel to China. Nikki was proud of the policy and economic development lessons and information gained by the trip to China then – as evidenced by this press release sent out when she got back – and remains so now.
The Facts: When asked by a reporter, “How did you fly?,” Nikki, who did not schedule the trip and therefore was not sure if her seat was classified as First or Business Class, responded that she did not know and that the reporter should contact the Commerce Department to get an answer to any question he had about her travel. There is absolutely no wrong-doing on Nikki’s part in this trip.
What Else The Media Chose Not To Report: When offered a private hotel room for the entire trip, Nikki told Commerce that a private hotel room was not necessary and instead shared a room with a female member of the governor’s staff in order to keep expenses down.
Question: Is Nikki a real name?
Truth: Nikki is actually her birth middle name. Her full name is Nimrata Nikki Randhawa Haley, but she has always gone by Nikki.
Question: Is Nikki a Christian?
Truth: In Nikki’s words: “My faith in Christ has a profound impact on my daily life and I look to Him for guidance with every decision I make. God has blessed my family in so many ways and my faith in the Lord gives me great strength on a daily basis. Being a Christian is not about words, but about living for Christ every day.”
