South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will headline the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual fundraising dinner on March 20.

The governor, who turns 40 today, was elected in 2010 on a wave of conservative support and is considered a top contender for the vice presidential slot on the GOP ticket in 2012.

She’ll be the keynote at the dinner at the National Building Museum, an event that is billed as the NRCC’s largest fundraiser of the year.

“Governor Haley has quickly proven her ability to stand up to Washington Democrats’ job-destroying agenda and to fight for Republican solutions for prosperity,” NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) said in a statement. “As a rising leader in the Republican Party, Governor Haley represents a dynamic voice for effectively communicating the Republican will to win in 2012 to rebuild the American Dream.”