Nikki Haley to endorse Romney? [UPDATED: Yes, she did]

POLITICO is reporting that a major endorsement is coming Mitt Romney's way:

Sunshine Spotlight on...Nikki Haley, Ted Cruz, and Rick Scott

I decided recently to start a new feature here at Sunshine State Sarah: fun, short interviews of Republican elected officials and candidates called "Sunshine Spotlights." The RedState Gathering has been the perfect place to get some comments from some of the "conservative rock stars" in attendance, so here are your first batch of Sunshine Spotlight interviews, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Texas Senate candidate Ted Cruz, and Florida Governor Rick Scott:


YouTube | Sunshine Spotlight on Nikki Haley


YouTube | Sunshine Spotlight on Ted Cruz 


YouTube | Sunshine Spotlight on Rick Scott

Sunshine State at Red State!

Hello everyone! I am in the lovely city of Charleston, South Carolina for the 2011 RedState Gathering and having a great time. I love events like this...it's very energizing to be with so many other smart conservatives who are so passionate about politics and protecting our country's future. (Missed out on the RedState Gathering? Fear not, you can come hang out with me in Orlando at CPAC Florida next month!)

RedState contributor Moe Lane wrote earlier tonight that this year's RedState Gathering is showing "enthusiasm" at a "higher intensity" than in past years, and one of the RedState founders, Josh Trevino, put up a great post aptly titled "This Day. This Moment." about how RedState is proud to be a part of the conservative movement and very excited about tomorrow's program. (If you somehow missed the chatter, besides all the great conservative speakers, Texas Governor Rick Perry is apparently definitely going to announce he is running for President during his speech tomorrow afternoon.)

The Sunshine State is well-represented in Charleston this weekend. Besides your humble blogger, Governor Rick Scott spoke earlier tonight and State Representative Scott Plakon traveled with him. I got a quick, fun interview with our Governor and will post it later. YouTube... uploading... takes... forever... sigh...


Charleston's Southern hospitality apparently meant that the city wanted us Floridians to feel welcome...it is hot and humid as it is at home. Everyone is melting into little puddles but we're all having such a great time that no one cares too much. ;)

Interesting commentary on Bobby Jindal and Nikki Haley

Nikki Haley Poised to Join Bobby Jindal as Indian-Americans Running Deep South States - The Daily Beast

I like what I'm hearing from Nikki Haley

Just got home from a great fundraiser for one of my candidates (if you're in Seminole County, please check out www.LadanForJudge.org) and caught Sean Hannity's interview with Nikki Haley, a Republican who's running for governor in South Carolina.  You can follow her on Twitter at @nikkihaley.

She survived a bruising, nasty, vindictive primary battle to be one of the top-two vote-getters and has a runoff in a few weeks.  Some highlights from the show tonight: 

From her election night speech yesterday:

When I looked at everything, I knew that there was something wrong.  And the thing that I knew was wrong was that South Carolina was settling.  We were settling for a Republican House, a Republican Senate, and a Republican Governor.  I won't stop until we get a conservative House, a conservative Senate, and a conservative Governor. 

On Hannity tonight:

Hannity: You made an important distinction that I make often.  There's a difference between Republicans and conservatives.  Are you saying that you're more of a conservative than a Republican?

Haley: What I'm saying is that we've seen a lot of Republicans that have learned the talking points but they haven't learned the conservative actions associated with the talking points.  You know we are long past the day of electing someone because they look good in a picture or they hold a baby well.  If they are not going to fight for the taxpayers, if they are not going to make sure that they understand that this is not their money to spend, then we don't need to have them.  It is time that we look at what it means to be conservative, and that's not bailouts, that's not stimulus packages, it's not Washington.  It's prioritizing our spending, understanding that...it's about strengthening small businesses, and if you do that, you encourage the economy.  It's pretty simple business.

You know what I think about the tea parties is, first of all, they're not a party at all.  It is Republicans, independents, and Democrats who've said that we've had enough and we want to take our government back.  I think the second thing is what you are seeing is that the people are no longer going to settle for elected officials thinking that they know better...I think that it's time that we hold elected officials accountable and remind them who it is that they work for...

...the tea parties are great because they are getting people to understand the power of their voice.  Government belongs to the people and we need to go back to that.  You know, our founding fathers said that it should be families first, then communities, then state, then federal.  We have watched turn completely upside down.  We need to go back to where we were supposed to be.