Nikki Haley brings Republican presidential campaign to … – Charleston Post Courier

BOILING SPRINGS — On the heels of a recent poll showing she leads President Joe Biden in the 2024 race, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley touted her support for states’ rights and limiting the federal government’s role during a stop in Boiling Springs.

A CNN/SSRS poll released Sept. 7 showed Haley with 49 percent support as compared to Biden’s 43 percent. Haley’s supporters acknowledged the poll numbers during a campaign event held at Plankowner Brewing Company just off Highway 9 later in the day. About 300 people attended the campaign event.

Several of Haley’s supporters have traveled across the state to attend campaign stops. Garland Holt of Six Mile attended campaign stops in Greenville and Greer prior to attending Haley’s event in Boiling Springs.

Holt moved from Texas to South Carolina in 2018. He’s most concerned about the federal government’s immigration policies and wants to see tighter controls at the border between Mexico and United States.

“The Biden Administration has done nothing to fix it and they have made it worse,” Holt said.

Dan and Jan Pappas of Spartanburg also showed their support for Haley at the event. They are most concerned about funding for social security not running out and want to protect states’ rights.

“I think she will give the authority to states like they should have,” Jan Pappas said. “I don’t like the federal government telling us what to do.”

During her remarks, Haley hit on several familiar themes from other campaign stops.

She said Biden’s policies have failed to address rising inflation and believes the economy is headed in the wrong direction.

“I think he thought it would be cute to stick with Bidenomics,” Haley said. “He is not acknowledging the facts and thinks telling you enough times the economy is fine you will believe it. He doesn’t go to the grocery store or fill up his car with gas.”

Haley also said the court system needed to enforce stiffer penalties against people charged with violent gun crimes. She said addressing the lack of mental health services should also be considered when dealing with crimes committed with a firearm.

“Let’s do the hard work and take care of mental health and get the guns off the streets,” Haley said.

Haley said whether states have offshore drilling should not be dictated by the federal government and supports a state’s right to choose.

“I think states need to make that decision because it affects the quality of life for the people of the states,” Haley said. “For states that want to do it, I am all for it, and for states that don’t want to do it, people have the right to make that decision if they want that off the coast of their state.”

Haley also supports having law enforcement officers in every school to increase safety and wants more funding to have have mental health counselors in every school. School buildings need to be made more secure with just one mode of entry to help prevent future shooting incidents, she said.