South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is one of the GOP's brightest stars, a 42-year-old Indian-American, a dynamo fundraiser and a favorite of national Republicans eager to showcase diversity in their ranks. Haley's road to re-election this November has looked smooth of late, thanks to Obamacare's unpopularity in South Carolina, a shrinking unemployment rate and the cautious approach of her Democratic challenger, state Sen. Vincent Sheheen. But Haley's path to victory might have just become more complicated. That's because a little-known attorney and former judge named Tom Ervin has joined the race for governor as an independent -- and his campaign is threatening to raise at least $6 million in the process.
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Tom Ervin was running as a Republican but withdrew and entered as an independent
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Incumbent Nikki Haley is one of the Republican Party's brightest stars
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Some Republicans think Democrats are behind Ervin's campagin to split GOP vote
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Some Democrats think Ervin could split the anti-Haley vote and assure her victory
Nikki Haley
Haley
Haley
Nikki Haley
In March, he filed to run against @placeholder in the Republican primary, loaning his campaign $420,000 as seed money.
Nikki Haley
Haley
Haley
Nikki Haley
@placeholder's campaign was quick to diminish Ervin as a "liberal trial lawyer."
Nikki Haley
Haley
Haley
Nikki Haley
@placeholder defeated Sheheen by just four points when they first squared off in the 2010 race.
Democratic
Democrats
"There are a lot of moderate @placeholder, a lot of people who would have voted for Vincent who may gravitate to Tom Ervin now if he throws a punch.
Tom Ervin
Tom Ervin
Ervin
Ervin
"There are a lot of moderate Democrats, a lot of people who would have voted for Vincent who may gravitate to @placeholder now if he throws a punch.
Tom Ervin
Tom Ervin
Ervin
Ervin
@placeholder pointed to the state's "crumbling" roads and bridges, education policy and government transparency as issues he plans to highlight.
Vincent Sheheen
In the next breath, he gamed out a scenario in which Ervin could open the door to a @placeholder victory.
GOP
Republicans
Republican
Republican Party
GOP
"They are not going to shake a lot of votes loose from @placeholder," Dawson said.