Nikki Haley
Republican Nikki Haley has served as governor of South Carolina since 2010, and the governor's website says her focus during her first term has been to create jobs and improve the state's business climate.
Over the last four years, South Carolina has seen 57,000 jobs created under Haley. Haley pushed for legislation to provide tax relief for small businesses, pension reform, Medicaid reform, illegal immigration reform and voter identification requirements.
She created the position of inspector general in an attempt to prevent waste and abuse in state government and was able to pass a role call voting reform that prevented legislators from voting anonymously allows citizens to track the spending of their elected officials.
Haley previously served in government before being chosen as the Republican Party nominee for governor in 2010, when she was elected to the General Assembly in 2004.
She was later selected to represent the 87th district of South Carolina in Lexington County after defeating the longest serving state senator in a Republican Party primary. She was reelected in 2008 with 83 percent of the vote, the highest percentage of any lawmaker elected that year.
Before getting involved in politics, Haley worked with a business background. Her first job was keeping the books at her family's clothing store in Bamberg, South Carolina. She then continued to Clemson University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. She worked as an accounting supervisor for a private company before returning to her family's business, now a multi-million dollar operation.
Haley and her husband Michael have two children, Rena and Nalin. She enters this election with endorsements from the National Federation of Independent Business and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
The Daily Gamecock's request to Haley for comment was not returned.
Vincent Sheheen
Vincent Sheheen is a Democrat running for governor this year who has served on the South Carolina Senate since 2004. Before becoming a senator, Sheheen was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2001 until 2004. In 2010, he ran against Nikki Haley for governor and lost by a narrow margin.
The emphasis of Sheheen’s campaign on education. According to his campaign website, Sheheen wants to better South Carolina’s early education program and expand public education to include 4-year-old kindergarten, as well as make college more affordable in the state. Sheheen's website cites his father, former commissioner of higher education, and mother, an elementary school principal, as his inspiration for this reform.
He also places emphasis on the streamlining of worker training, the utilization of small businesses and lowering the industrial property tax in order to encourage economic growth within the state. His interest is mainly in the success of independently owned small and medium-sized businesses. Sheheen owns a small real-estate company and, as a state senator, spearheaded many pieces of legislation that would aid small business growth.
According to his website, Sheheen is also a supporter of Medicaid’s expansion. He'd like to see South Carolina’s tax dollars remain in state to fund health insurance for South Carolinians, instead of sending them to more aid-friendly states. Sheheen plans to put more money into hospitals and, through expansion, create jobs in the medical field.
As well as expanding health care, Sheheen also plans to expand sustainable energy production in the state in order to both protect the state’s waterways and to attract millions in potential investments form clean energy companies. In addition, he plans to spend over one billion dollars on road and bridge repairs over the next 10 years.
The underlying theme throughout Sheheen’s campaign is that of accountability. His plans to implement legislation that would prove monumentally transformative as time passes are based around the government’s responsibility to its people.
Sheheen and his wife live with their three children, Anthony, Austin and Joseph in Camden, South Carolina.
The Daily Gamecock's request to Sheheen for comment was not returned.
Steve French
Steve French, a Libertarian candidate in the 2014 gubernatorial election, said he's been focusing on a campaign dedicated to a philosophically consistent and sound set of ideals — namely, individualized freedoms and smaller government.
As the only small business owner and entrepreneur in the race, French believes he brings a unique perspective to the table that other candidates might overlook.
He believes college students have a special bond with him as a candidate because he feels very connected to the college community, as he isn't too far removed from university life himself.
“I understand better than any other candidate what you’re going through and what your needs are,” he said. “I have a student loan myself, still. I understand their frustration about trying to find jobs. I know so many things that they’re going through.”
French, 33, graduated from North Carolina State University, where he studied political science and business administration. He now has a family and runs a cooking oil recycling business called Low Country Grease Service.
“I think I’m the only candidate that is consistent across the board when it comes to individual freedom,” French said. “I truly believe in self-determination and individualism.”
According to French’s campaign website, his platform focuses on individual freedoms and fighting tax inequity. French also mentioned fighting for decriminalization of marijuana and a larger focus on sustainability and green energy and is a proponent of the shrinking the role of government.
“If you can get a consistent philosophy that allows you to be free in your own home, I think that brings a lot of people in,” he said. “I want to offer a new perspective, a consistent perspective, something that crosses both party lines and something people our age can gravitate towards.”
Morgan Reeves
Morgan Reeves is representing United Citizens Party in this year's gubernatorial election. A South Carolina native who graduated from Irmo High School, Reeves went to college at Michigan State University and played for both the Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Colts.
Reeves' focus this year is his economic development plan. He plans to legalize marijuana for if elected. Along with the marijuana plan, he will also have a hemp plan.
“Students can invest in the plan and get that money back," Reeves said. "Banks pay 50 percent interest on their loan for the marijuana and hemp plans.”
He hopes to bring a fast rail train system from Columbia to Charleston and Columbia to Charlotte.
Reeves said he is the best candidate for students and believes college students should vote for him because he is unlike the other candidates. According to Reeves, he has more college degrees than any other candidate.
“The Republican candidate, Nikki Haley, is saying she is creating jobs, but there’s no money in those jobs. Vincent Sheheen has been in the legislature for 15 years now and has given himself a pay raise five times. He never voted to give teachers raises or benefit college students,” Reeves said. “I’m a man who starts something and completes it.”
Furthermore, Reeves said he's unique because he is the only candidate who mentions God in his plan and believes he is the candidate of the people.
Reeves plans to double South Carolinians' salaries if elected and said no one would be making under $20 an hour under his plan. He intends to cut back on tuition costs and doesn't want any student to pay anything when they graduate as long as he's in office.
“I love college students. I’m the only one that sincerely cares about y’all, and I want y’all to vote for me," Reeves said. "I have the courage of a lion and the heart of a shepherd.”
Reeves currently resides in Winnsboro, South Carolina.