Indian-American Nikki Haley, whose bid for the governorship of South Carolina is marred by allegations of extra-marital affair, suffered a setback on Thursday when former vice-president Dick Cheney endorsed one of her rivals.
“Today, I am strongly endorsing Gresham Barrett,” Mr Cheney said in the run-up to the June 8 gubernatorial primary of the Republican Party. Mr Barrett is trailing in the polls behind state Nikki Haley and Attorney-General Henry McMaster.
The most recent poll on the race conducted by Public Policy Polling had Mr Haley at 39 percent, Mr McMaster at 18 per cent, and Mr Barrett at 16 per cent, followed by Lt. Gov Andre Bauer at 13 per cent.
“Gresham Barrett is one of the most conservative leaders I’ve ever worked with. No one in South Carolina has done more to fight President Obama’s reckless agenda than Gresham Barrett,” Mr Cheney said.
Meanwhile, Ms Haley continued to surge ahead of all her rivals and the popular mood in South Carolina — as reflected in local news reporting — questioned the authenticity of the allegations made by a blogger against her that he had an affair with the popular Indian American leader. “If proof doesn’t surface or doesn’t exist, many say Haley, surging in some polls and recently endorsed by former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and former South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford, is in solid shape heading into the June 8 primary,” said the State.
Ms Haley, whose husband is a US Army reserves officer, has been hit by allegations that she had a “physical” relationship with commentator Will Folks.