COLUMBIA, SC (AP) – South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is endorsing Marco Rubio ahead of Saturday’s first-in-the-South Republican presidential primary.
A person close to the Republican governor with direct knowledge of her decision told The Associated Press she will endorse Rubio at his event Wednesday night in Lexington County. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss the endorsement ahead of the event and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Haley’s endorsement was considered the most coveted among South Carolina politicians. She joins Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Trey Gowdy in endorsing Rubio.
The state’s first female and first minority governor said just Tuesday that she may not endorse this cycle. But she’s been very critical of Donald Trump.
Haley endorsed Mitt Romney a month before South Carolina’s 2012 presidential primary and campaigned with him. Romney lost to Newt Gingrich, breaking the state’s three-decade tradition of backing the party’s eventual nominee.
