Nikki Haley shrugs off lack of endorsements in South Carolina: ‘A reason there’s no love for me’

PETERBOROUGH, New Hampshire — Nikki Haley sought to minimize the lack of endorsements she’s racked up from her home state of South Carolina, chalking it up to her tough approach to the legislature.

This week, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), whom she appointed to the lower chamber in 2013, endorsed her opponent, former President Donald Trump.

South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, 76, also endorsed Trump previously and was set to stump with him in Manchester Saturday evening.

“You will not see me have a whole lot of legislative endorsements in South Carolina. And the reason is, I forced them to have to start showing their votes on the record, against their will — that’s documented,” Haley told reporters during a brief gaggle after an event at the Monadnock Center for History & Culture.

Early on in her tenure as South Carolina governor, Haley signed legislation to require legislators to cast more on-the-record votes.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign has needled Haley for only clinching 14 endorsements from current or former state lawmakers, despite him getting 74.

“I forced them to pass ethics reform, even though they didn’t want to do it,” she went on before boasting about vetoing spending items. “So there is a reason there’s no love for me, from the legislature in South Carolina.”

On Friday, Scott heartily backed Trump, arguing that, “we need a president who will unite our country” and lauding Trump’s policies including on the border.

Haley briefly commented on Scott’s endorsement of Trump, before pivoting to her lack of endorsements from South Carolina legislators.

“Was I disappointed, of course I was disappointed. He’s got to live with that decision. I don’t have to live with that decision,” she lamented.

When asked about McMaster’s stumping for Trump, Haley recounted their history.

“I’m sorry, is that the person I ran against for governor and beat? Just checking,” she chided.

McMaster vied for South Carolina governor back in 2010 but lost to Haley. After she took the reigns, Haley gave him a post in the South Carolina Ports Authority. He then won election to be lieutenant governor in 2014.

After Haley stepped down to become US ambassador to the UN in 2017, McMaster ascended to the governor’s mansion.

“Yet another nearly 80-year-old that’s trying to make an impact,” New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who endorsed Haley and flanked her at the gaggle, nagged.

Haley has been endorsed by Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), who has campaigned with her, including in Iowa.

She further argued that members of Congress are chomping on the bit to give her an official stamp of approval because she’s pined for changes such as term limits, called for mental competency tests, and threatened to cut their pay if they don’t pass a budget on time.

“I call elected officials out because accountability matters,” Haley contended. “So if Donald Trump wants all those politicians, and they all want to go to they can have at it but that’s everything I’m fighting against.”

DeSantis has seemingly set his sights on South Carolina as he looks for an opening to get his 2024 bid back on track. He stumped in the Palmetto State Saturday, instead of New Hampshire.

Haley was bullish about her prospects in South Carolina.

“First of all, I was a Tea Party governor,” she said before rattling off some of her accomplishments. “We got South Carolina proud again, we turned it into the beast of the South.”

“I’ve won South Carolina twice — twice. I know the people of South Carolina, they’re tough. They want to see you earn it,” she went on. “I’m going to do it like I did twice before.”

Trump has a commanding 52% in South Carolina, followed by Haley at 21.8%, and DeSantis at 11%, per the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate.

South Carolina’s GOP primary contest is slated for Feb. 24, nearly one month after the Granite State contest.

Haley has been banking heavily on a strong showing in New Hampshire to help catapult her to the Republican nomination.