BRACK: Why is the governor picking on GOP legislators?

By Andy Brack | Only one in 10 state legislators apparently is conservative enough for Gov. Nikki Haley, who last week reignited a feud with the General Assembly by singling out just 17 state lawmakers for voting with her on three issues — pay raises, gas taxes and bonded indebtedness. (List at bottom)

We’re not quite sure how Haley is the queen of figuring out who is conservative enough, but you’ve got to wonder a little about her leadership skills after winning a second term if only 17 legislators out of 170 are backing what she thinks is important.

“Her strategy of calling people out is a unique strategy — one I’m not familiar with in terms of what she hopes to gain, other than rankle people whose votes she needs on other things,” one veteran Republican insider said.  “It’s clearly a strategy, but to what end?”

Whatever Haley was doing, it didn’t sit well with a lot of the 105 Republicans in the legislature, such as Spartanburg Sen. Lee Bright, who many view as more conservative than Attila the Hun.

He told The Greenville News that he didn’t need Haley to be the arbiter of conservative credentials:  “She has been playing footsie with the moderates ever since she became governor.  She’s continuing to do it, and we’re not going to assist her in it.”

So perhaps by dividing the world into Haley supporters and Haley opponents, as the governor did last week at the state Republican convention, the hyper-ambitious governor might be signaling something about her political future. Some possibilities:

Vice president.  Maybe Haley (right) is hoping to be the next Sarah Palin, a vice presidential candidate for the 2016 nominee.  But most agree that her background, such as the rebuffed ethics inquiry on activities while a member of the S.C. House. precludes serious consideration for the nation’s number two spot.  Additionally, South Carolina is such a reliably red state that Haley wouldn’t bring anything to the ticket.

Cabinet officer or ambassador.  If a Republican becomes president in 2016, some say Haley might get a nod for a top administration post, although others say her background might get in the way of serving on the cabinet.  They admit, however, she could get a major ambassadorship, such as to India.

U.S. Senate.  A couple of scenarios are possible.  First, she could run for the seat held by U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, whom she appointed in 2013 after Jim DeMint stepped down.  While Scott won the seat in November, it is up for consideration again in 2016.   Second, what happens if U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who is up again in 2020, gets a big cabinet position in the next administration?  That could set off a chain reaction in which Haley could resign and then be appointed to finish out Graham’s term — which would give her the national platform she so desperately seems to crave.  Stranger things have happened.

National platform.  Haley, who is not independently wealthy, might need to earn a paycheck when she’s done being governor, which could translate into serving on a couple of big corporate boards or becoming a television personality for a conservative group.  Or she could head up an industry group like the later Gov. Carroll Campbell did when he ran a national insurance trade association after finishing his gubernatorial service.

College of Charleston political science professor Gibbs Knotts says it’s a challenge to figure out Haley’s end game.

“She has a potentially long career ahead of her after the end of her current term,” he said.  “I could certainly see her being appointed to a cabinet position or being named an ambassador.  This makes sense.  Though she might run for Congress or U.S. Senate, I would be surprised.

“For some, it is a difficult transition to move from a chief executive position back to a legislative position.  The skills of executives and legislators are not always compatible.  I would also not be too surprised if she transitions to a private sector role or takes some other type of leadership position outside.  Governor James Edwards had a long and distinguished career as president of MUSC after leaving the governor’s mansion.”

LIST: Here are the names on Gov. Nikki Haley’s list of conservatives: Sen. Sean Bennett, Summerville; Sen. Chip Campsen, Charleston; Sen. Tom Davis, Beaufort; Sen. Mike Fair, Greenville; Sen. Larry Martin, Pickens; Sen. Shane Massey, Edgefield; Sen. Harvey Peeler, Gaffney; Sen. Paul Thurmond, Charleston; Sen. Ross Turner, Greenville; Sen. Danny Verdin, Laurens; Sen. Tom Young, Aiken; Rep. Reps. Todd Atwater, Lexington; Rep. Eric Bedingfield, Belton; Rep. Dan Hamilton, Greenville; Rep. Chip Huggins, Columbia; Rep. Rick Quinn, Lexington County; and Rep. Tommy Stringer, Greenville.