Nikki Haley

State Rep. Nikki Haley is adding her name to the list of Republicans hoping to become governor of South Carolina in 2010. Haley, a staunch anti-tax advocate, confirmed Thursday that she will mount a run for the seat currently held by Republican Mark Sanford, who is prevented by term limits from running for a third term.

“For more than five years I’ve sat in the statehouse and watched – sometimes in disbelief – as our state government has spent with abandon and in the process wasted taxpayer dollar after taxpayer dollar,” Haley said in a release. “I know what good government can look like. I’m running for Governor so the people of this state will know what it feels like.”  

Haley is the fourth Republican to officially join the race, following U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett , state Sen. Larry Grooms of Berkeley, S.C., and Furman University professor Brent Nelsen. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and Attorney General Henry McMaster are also expected to run for the Republican nomination.