Haley takes the mic and the top of the statewide GOP ticket for November. Chair Karen Floyd (L), congressional candidate Tim Scott (R)

The morning after a crowded slate of primary runoffs for the GOP, Chairwoman Karen Floyd hosted a “Unity Breakfast” to rally her party around their November ticket.

Most candidates, both winners and losers, showed up. Two high-profile candidates who did not were Lt. Governor Andre Bauer and defeated incumbent Congressman Bob Inglis.

There were ovations all around, including one for Gov. Mark Sanford, who did not speak at the meeting and stayed at the edge of the group. Just a year ago, some of these same party leaders were calling for him to resign in the wake of an infidelity scandal.  In an interview, he told SCRN  that what is being called the “reform ticket” is  “a continuum based on a whole bunch of different folks at the candidate and grassroots level pushing for changes that will accrue to the benefit of the state.”

The star of the day was gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley- with the support offered by last night’s opponent Gresham Barrett. She praised Barrett and McMaster as candidates and then addressed “the direction in which South Carolina is moving.” [Read more...]

Now that Nikki Haley has officially won the Republican gubernatorial nomination, political observers are beginning to project how the race between Haley and Democratic nominee Vincent Sheheen may evolve moving toward November’s general election.  Clemson University Political Science professor and Republican political consultant David Woodard says Haley has an advantage as South Carolina is considered a Republican stronghold.  But he asserts that Sheheen can counter that with the use of political capital gained from his years of experience in the South Carolina Senate, coupled with his easy-going style.

Woodard points out that Sheheen comes from a strong well-known South Carolina political family. Sheheen’s father, Fred Sheheen, is former Executive Director of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and his uncle Bob, is a former Speaker of the South Carolina House.

Woodard says Sheheen has already shown during his primary campaign that he can raise funds and he will need a strong war chest to mount a strong campaign against the Republican nominee. Woodard says despite his easy-going style, Sheheen does have the ability to “take the gloves off” when the campaign gets tough as November approaches.

Woodard says that the accusations of infidelity pointed toward Haley will likely continue during the campaign, but he says don’t look for Sheheen to bring them up. Woodard says that will be the job of Sheheen’s campaign surrogates and supporters.

AUDIO: Woodard – Who would likely work better with the legislature Haley or Sheheen 2:56