COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tea Party favorite Nikki Haley, a Republican candidate for governor whose campaign gained momentum with recent endorsements from Sarah Palin and Jenny Sanford, denied allegations Monday that she had an inappropriate relationship with a political blogger years ago.
Haley, vying to replace disgraced Gov. Mark Sanford, called the claim on the blogger’s website a smear. She questioned the timing, two weeks before the primary.
“I have been 100 percent faithful to my husband throughout our 13 years of marriage. This claim against me is categorically and totally false,” she said in a statement.
The claim came from Will Folks, who previously served as Sanford’s spokesman. Folks said the relationship took place in 2007, when he did communications work for Haley, including writing speeches. He refused to provide details.
