South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is the state’s first female and minority chief executive — and she has been hinting at a possible run for the White House in 2016, giving political commentators plenty to debate among the growing field of potential Republican contenders for the Oval Office.
Here are what 5 leading pundits are saying about the country’s youngest serving governor:
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Brad Warthen, a former columnist for The State newspaper, in the Charleston City Paper: "Every governor we’ve had since Carroll Campbell has had national aspirations, but with her it’s more naked and obvious."
Sunny Phillips, a longtime Republican fundraiser in South Carolina: "It's always been my opinion that if that were to happen, candidates would cede the state … putting the primary out of play and of course impacting spending … Nikki would be pretty popular."
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McKay Coppins, political columnist, quoting a Republican consultant on BuzzFeed: "I don’t think she’d survive a vet for vice president ... I would absolutely put her on my list for political reasons, but I am telling you right now that I would stay away from her like the plague."
Ari Fleisher, former Bush White House press secretary and leader of the Republican Jewish Coalition, in the same BuzzFeed piece: "I don’t know why the buzz around her has cooled down so much, but it sure has cooled. Nobody’s talking about her at the presidential level for 2016 … I don’t know why, because I don’t follow South Carolina politics close enough."
Will Folks, a South Carolina political blogger and former aide to Haley: "She’s always been tough and very focused, and I think uniquely talented in her ability to focus on what needs to be done, and kind of ignore the rest."
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