SOUTH CAROLINA
      Nov. 4, 2014 Governor                                     

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+Nikki Haley (R) i
 		696,645
 		55.90%
Vincent Sheheen (D)
 		516,166 41.42%
Steve French (L)
 15,438
 1.24%
Tom J. Ervin (Pet.)
 11,496
 0.92%
Morgan Bruce Reeves (UNC)
 5,622
 0.45%
write-ins
 934
 0.07%

1,246,301
Registration: 2,881,052.  Ballots cast: 1,261,611.
Plurality: 180,479 votes (14.48 percentage points).
 SC Election Commission



Notes:  Gov. Nikki Haley (R) defeated state Sen. Vincent Sheheen (D) in a rematch of the 2010 campaign; three other candidates were on the ballot as well.  The outcome was not as close as in 2010.  Haley achieved a margin of14.5 percentage points and Republicans won all statewide offices.

On Aug. 12, 2013 Haley, the youngest governor in the country  at 41 years old, announced she would run for re-election and on Aug. 26 she formally launched her campaign at an event at the BI-LO Center in Greenville featuring potential presidential candidates Gov. Scott Walker (WI), Gov. Rick Perry (TX) and Gov. Bobby Jindal (LA).  Sheheen announced he would run again in an Apr. 10, 2013 email. 

As the campaign developed in 2014, the Republican Governors Association ran TV ads attacking Sheheen.  An ad from March said Sheheen's plan was "even more Obamacare," and two controversial ads from April condemned his work as a trial lawyer stating "he represents criminals not us." (1, 2, 3)

Meanwhile another front was opening up on the campaign.  In March 2014 Greenville attorney Tom Ervin filed to challenge Haley in the Republican primary.  Ervin had served as a resident circuit judge for Anderson and Oconee Counties from 1984 to 1999 and earlier served as a Democrat in the legislature.  In April 2014 he  announced he would instead run as a petition candidate, a route requiring 10,000 verified signatures.  On June 9 he submitted 20,137 signatures to the South Carolina Election Commission, and on July 24 the Commission certified him for the ballot.  Ervin ultimately put $4.2 million of his own money into his largely self-funded campaign.

Also on the November ballot were Libertarian Steve French, a small businessman, and Morgan Bruce Reeves, running under the banner of the United Citizens Party.

Haley meanwhile campaigned on her record of getting results particularly in the area of job creation. "It is a great day in South Carolina, but, ladies and gentlemen, we're just getting started," she declared.
 
All five candidates participated in two televised debates; the first at Charleston Southern University in North Charleston on Oct. 14 (>) and the second at Furman University in Greenville on Oct. 21 (>).

On Oct. 28 Ervin dropped out of the race and endorsed Sheheen.

The National Institute on Money in Politics reported contributions of $8.4 million to the Haley campaign and $3.6 million to the Sheheen campaign (>). 


Campaign Managers:
Nikki Haley:  Tim Pearson
Chief of staff to Gov. Haley, Jan. 2011-Oct. 2012, executive director of the transition; and campaign manager on Haley's 2010 campaign; started with Haley in May 2009.  Senior communications advisor to Gov. Mark Sanford for 3 1/2 months to May 2009.  Director of rapid response on Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign.  Speechwriter in DC and earlier staff assistant in Allentown to Sen. Rick Santorum.  Lehigh University.

Vincent Sheheen:  Andrew Whalen
 (May 2013)  National political director for the Blue Dog Coalition, 2011-Feb. 2013.  Coordinated Campaign director for the North Carolina Democratic Party, June-Nov. 2012.  Deputy chief of staff and senior advisor to U.S. Rep. Shuler, Jan.-Aug. 2011.  Consultant for Equality NC, Feb.-May 2011.  Executive director for the North Carolina Democratic Party, April 2009-Jan. 2011. Communications director for U.S. Rep. Shuler, Jan. 2007-April 2009.  Campaign manager on Heath Shuler for Congress (NC) re-election, June-Nov. 2008.  Deputy campaign manager and communications director on Heath Shuler for Congress, Feb.-Nov. 2006.  Delegate races in Virginia, 2005-06.  Communications director on Jon Jennings for Congress, July 2003-Nov. 2004.  B.A. in history from Denison University, 2003. 


See also:
WYFF Staff.  "Tom Ervin, Vincent Sheheen make surprise announcement."  WYFF, Oct. 28, 2014.

Peter Hamby.  "A new player steps into South Carolina governor's race."  CNN, Apr. 22, 2014.

Stuart Rothenberg.  "Is South Carolina's Nikki Haley in Trouble?"  Roll Call, Sept. 16, 2013.

WLTX Staff.   "Haley Announces Fundraisers for Potential Campaign."  WLTX, Mar. 5, 2013.

Iowa State University - Archives of Women's Political Communication: Nikki Haley.








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