2010 South Carolina gubernatorial election

Republican primary

According to CNN, Haley initially entered the gubernatorial primary as a dark horse candidate. In an article covering her surge in the primary in the weeks prior to the election, it was noted that a "surprise" endorsement from former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin boosted Haley's candidacy. Haley's campaign was backed by TV ads run by ReformSC, an advocacy group funded by allies of outgoing governor Mark Sanford.

Candidates

• Gresham Barrett, U.S. Congressman
• André Bauer, Lieutenant Governor
• Nikki Haley, State Representative
• Henry McMaster, State Attorney General

Endorsements

Nikki Haley

• Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA), former presidential candidate for 2008 Republican nomination
• Former Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK), former Republican vice presidential candidate
• Former First Lady of South Carolina Jenny Sanford
• Republican Liberty Caucus

Gresham Barrett

• Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney

Henry McMaster

• Former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani (R-NY), former presidential candidate for 2008 Republican Nomination{{cite web|author=ANDY BARR
• Senator John McCain (R-AZ), former candidate for 2008 Presidential Election
• Former Governor David Beasley (R-SC)

André Bauer

• Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR), former presidential candidate for 2008 Republican nomination

Polling

Runoff

Results

| | | |{{legend|#ffccd0|Haley— | | ]]

| | | | | | ]]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Robert Ford, State Senator from Charleston
• Jim Rex, State Superintendent of Education from Fairfield County
• Vincent Sheheen, State Senator from Camden

Polling

• as of March 5, 2010 Dwight Drake withdrew from the race for Governor.

Results

| | | | | | |{{legend|#d3e7ff|Sheheen— ]]

Other parties

• Morgan Reeves, Businessman, Minister, and retired National Football League player from Irmo
  • Dr. Reeves was nominated on March 30 by the United Citizens Party and South Carolina Green Party on April 7 (see SC Election Commission website). Reeves appeared on the November 2nd general election ballot for both parties. An Independent, Dr. Reeves collected enough voter petition signatures to qualify by the July 15th deadline onto a 3rd ballot line.
• Jim Rex, State Superintendent of Education from Fairfield County
  • Rex was nominated by the Working Families Party prior to losing the Democratic primary. Rex did not appear on the Working Families ballot line in November due to South Carolina's "sore loser" law that requires candidates not to seek nominations from multiple parties from appearing on the ballot after they lose any one party's nomination (see candidate party pledge forms). Several election law issues are before US appellate court in Richmond, Virginia regarding conformity to the 1965 Voting Rights Act and US Constitutional provisions, see ACLU/Platt v SC

General election

Debates

• "First in the State" Republican Gubernatorial Primary Debate Sponsored by the Republican Parties of Newberry and Laurens Counties

Aired on WIS-TV on September 22, 2009

Watch here

• "Spotlight on the Candidates" Joint Gubernatorial Primary Debate Sponsored by the SC Natural Resources Society

Aired on SCETV on November 3, 2009

(This debate marked the first time in state history that gubernatorial primary candidates from both parties participated in the same debate.)

Watch here

• SCGOP Gubernatorial Debate Sponsored by the South Carolina Republican Party

Moderated by MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski

Aired on WCSC-TV on January 28, 2010

Watch here

• Republican Candidates For South Carolina Governor April Debate: Watch here

Endorsements

**Senator Vincent Sheheen **-- South Carolina Chamber of Commerce

Representative Nikki Haley-- National Rifle Association of America

Representative Nikki Haley-- South Citizens for Life

Predictions

Polling

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Colleton (largest city: Walterboro)
• Kershaw (Largest city: Camden)
• Florence (Largest city: Florence)
• Charleston (largest city: Charleston)
• Darlington (largest city: Hartsville)

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Newberry (Largest city: Newberry)
• Saluda (Largest city: Saluda)
• Edgefield (Largest city: Edgefield)
• McCormick (largest town: McCormick)

References

References

1. Hamby, Peter. (May 20, 2010). "Haley has momentum in South Carolina race, rivals admit".
2. [http://www.thestate.com/154/story/702819.html Barrett running for S.C. governor] {{webarchive. link. (2009-03-05 The State, Mar. 4, 2009)
3. link. (2011-07-22 WPDE, Oct. 29, 2009)
4. [http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/786616.html Haley announces run for governor] {{webarchive. link. (2013-02-05 The State, May 14, 2009)
5. [http://www2.counton2.com/cbd/news/local/article/henry_mcmaster_seeking_s.c._governor_post/49952/ Henry McMaster seeking S.C. Governor post] {{webarchive. link. (2013-01-19 WCBD, August 3, 2009)
6. (2010-03-16). "Governor Mitt Romney Endorses Nikki Haley for South Carolina Governor". Nikkihaley.com.
7. "Sarah Palin to Endorse Nikki Haley".
8. O'Connor, John. (2009-11-12). "Jenny Sanford endorses Nikki Haley - Yahoo elections". TheState.com.
9. (2010-06-01). "Vice President Cheney Endorses Gresham Barrett". GreshamBarrett.com.
10. "Henry McMaster Endorsed by David Beasley wltx.com | Columbia, SC News, Weather and Sports |". Wltx.com.
11. [http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/1209/690080.html]{{dead link. (August 2010)
12. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120304053900/http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/jan/14/ford_focus_on_return_video_poker68317/ Ford to focus on return of video poker] Post and Courier, Jan. 14, 2009
13. [http://www2.counton2.com/cbd/news/local/local_govtpolitics/article/jim_rex_announces_campaign_for_governor/64644/ Jim Rex announces campaign for governor] {{webarchive. link. (2013-01-19 WCBD, September 15, 2009)
14. [http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=80066 Sheheen Announces Run for Governor] WLTX, Oct. 28, 2009
15. [http://www.dwightdrake.com/blog/2010/3/thank-you/ Dwight Drake Drops out of SC race] {{webarchive. link. (2011-07-10 Drake for South Carolina, March 5, 2010)
16. (June 8, 2010). "South Carolina Primary Results". Politico.
17. (May 2018)
18. [http://www.scvotes.org/files/2010%20Convention%20Party%20Candidates.pdf Green, Libertarian, Working Families, Labor, Constitution, United Citizens, Independence] {{Webarchive. link. (2010-06-08 - List of candidates who have filed with these parties. Candidates are nominated by convention and do not appear on Primary ballots.)
19. "Rex counting on fusion voters in governor's race". GoUpstate.com.
20. "ACLU to Argue in Appeals Court That South Carolina's Ballot Access Law Is Unconstitutional". CommonDreams.org.
21. [http://www.scetv.org/index.php/press/release/ten_gubernatorial_candidates_share_stage_for_historic_debate_on_etv/ Ten Gubernatorial Candidates to Share Stage for Historic Debate on ETV] {{webarchive. link. (2010-03-01 SCETV Website, Oct. 23, 2009)
22. "WFAE 90.7 FM". Wfae.org.
23. "2010 Governors Race Ratings". [[Cook Political Report]].
24. "Governor Ratings". [[Rothenberg Political Report]].
25. "2010 Governor Races". [[RealClearPolitics]].
26. (October 28, 2010). "THE CRYSTAL BALL'S FINAL CALLS". [[Sabato's Crystal Ball]].
27. "Race Ratings Chart: Governor". [[CQ Politics]].
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36. [http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_SC_526.pdf Public Policy Polling]
37. "SC - Election Results".