Nikki Haley entered politics at a young age and served in the South Carolina House of Representatives for several years before winning election for the state’s governor in 2010. In addition to becoming the first female governor of South Carolina, she was the first Indian-American to serve in the role, and the second Indian American governor in the country, after Bobby Jindal of Louisiana. In 2016, President-elect Donald Trump picked Haley to become the United States ambassador to the United Nations, a role she served from January 2017 through the end of 2018. In February 2023, the Republican announced she is running for president in the 2024 election.

Early Life and Career

Nimrata Nikki Randhawa Haley, better known as Nikki Haley, was born on January 20, 1972, in Bamberg, South Carolina, to Sikh immigrants from Punjab, India. She attended local schools and graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor of science in accounting. Haley went on to work for her mother’s upscale clothing business, Exotica International, helping to make it a multimillion-dollar company.

In 1998, Haley was named to the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors, and in 2003, to that of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce. She became president of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) in 2004 and immersed herself in a number of organizations, including the Lexington Medical Foundation, West Metro Republican Women, and the South Carolina Chapter of NAWBO.

Campaign Controversy and Historic Election to Governor

• Haley, a member of the Tea Party movement, announced in May 2009 that she would run for governor in 2010.
• Prior to Haley’s election, she was accused of having affairs with two different men, Will Folks, former press secretary for then-South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, and Larry Marchant, a political consultant for Haley’s opponent, Andre Bauer. Haley denied the allegations, saying that she had been faithful to her husband, Michael. 
• After winning the runoff vote for the Republican gubernatorial primary, Haley was elected governor of South Carolina on November 2, 2010, making her the state’s first female and first Indian-American governor. She was reelected for a second term in 2014.

2012 Vice President Speculation

In 2012, rumors spread that Mitt Romney, President Barack Obama’s challenger in the 2012 presidential election, would choose Haley as his vice-presidential running mate. However, Haley said that she would decline any position he might offer her. “The people of South Carolina gave me a chance,” she said in an Associated Press interview in April 2012. “I have a job to do, and I’m not going to leave my job for anything.” Romney went on to announce Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate for vice president in August 2012.

2016 Vice President Speculation

• Following her response, press outlets reported that Haley was on the GOP short list as a possible vice presidential running mate for the party’s 2016 nominee, Donald Trump, though he ended up choosing Indiana Gov. Mike Pence for the position. During the presidential race, Haley had not been a loyal supporter of Trump, initially campaigning for Sen. Marco Rubio and then endorsing Sen. Ted Cruz.
• U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
• On November 22, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump picked Haley to become the United States ambassador to the United Nations. She was the first woman to be named as part of his administration.
• On January 24, 2017, Haley was confirmed as U.N. Ambassador by the Senate, 94–6, and she resigned as governor of South Carolina to serve in her new role. She became the first Indian American in a presidential cabinet.

2024 Presidential Campaign

On February 14, 2023, Haley announced her 2024 presidential campaign in a video. If successful, she will become the first female president and first Indian American president.

Personal Life and Family

Haley was raised Sikh, but in a 2020 podcast interview, Haley said her parents exposed her to other religions while growing up. Later, she converted to Christianity and attends the Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church. Out of respect for her parents’ culture, she still attends Sikh services.

In 1996, Haley married Michael Haley, whom she met at Clemson University. They had two wedding ceremonies, one Sikh and one Methodist. Michael serves as an officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard and was the first-ever First Gentleman of South Carolina when Haley was governor. The couple have a daughter, Rena, and a son, Nalin.

Quotes

• The fact that I happen to be an Indian female, of course that brings a new dynamic. But what I hope it does is cause a conversation in this state where we no longer live by layers, but we live by philosophies.
• The people of South Carolina gave me a chance. I have a job to do, and I’m not going to leave my job for anything.

Awards and honors

Haley was inducted into the Order of the Palmetto in 2010. She has two honorary degrees: a Doctorate of Humanities from Clemson University (2018) and a Doctorate of Public Service from the University of South Carolina (2015). In 2013, Haley received an honorary 4th-dan black belt in Taekwondo.

She has also received awards from India Abroad, the International Republican Institute, Christians United for Israel, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the Hudson Institute, the Independent Women's Forum, UN Watch, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the American Enterprise Institute, and the World Jewish Congress.