Washington, April 23 (IANS) South Carolina's Indian
American Governor Nikki Haley faces a new challenge in her re-election
bid with a former judge named Tom Ervin joining the race as an
independent.
Born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa, the 42-year-old
daughter of immigrant Sikh parents from Punjab is considered one of the
Republican party's "brightest stars, a dynamo fundraiser and a favourite
of national Republicans eager to showcase diversity in their ranks,"
according to CNN.
But the entry of Ervin in the race besides her
Democratic challenger, state Senator Vincent Sheheen "might have made
Haley's path to victory more complicated" the news channel said noting
Ervin's campaign is threatening to raise at least $6 million.
"We're going to spend whatever it takes," Ervin told CNN. "I am going to tell the truth to the people of South Carolina."
Ervin
first filed to run against Haley in the Republican primary in March.
But he soon dropped out of the primary and announced his independent
bid, saying there wasn't enough to time to mount a credible Republican
campaign before the June 10 primary.
Haley's campaign was quick to diminish Ervin as a "liberal trial lawyer," according to CNN.
"We
appreciate Mr. Ervin's desire for public service, but a trial lawyer
and former Democratic lawmaker? who wants to raise taxes and embrace
Obamacare should probably be running as a Democrat," Haley spokesman Rob
Godfrey was quoted as saying.
Haley defeated Sheheen by just four points when they first squared off in the 2010 race.
Some
Democrats are hopeful that Ervin, and his money, will help them open up
a two-front war against Haley on the campaign trail, while siphoning
Republican-leaning voters away from the incumbent, CNN said.
A libertarian candidate, Charleston businessman Steve French, could do the same, it said.
However,
Ervin's chances of winning the race are slim, CNN said noting he first
has to qualify to get on the November ballot by collecting at least
10,000 signatures needed to run as a "petition" candidate.
Meanwhile,
Haley's campaign has raised nearly $6 million for her campaign, a hefty
sum in a state where television ad time is relatively affordable, it
said.
She has been also aided by a series of commercials paid for by the Republican Governors Association.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)