Current Republican presidential primary candidate and former governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley held a rally at Coastal Carolina University on Sunday, Jan. 28 in the Williams-Brice building at 5 p.m.
Currently, Haley faces Former President Donald Trump only, who has 32 delegates compared to her 17.
Horry County and surrounding community members filled 650 seats in the gymnasium, and she was welcomed by Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune, who was openly supportive of her.
“Don’t you think every day should be a great day in America?” Bethune asked attendees. “Well, Nikki Haley is the only one who can make that happen. I’ll just say that she is a true friend to the Myrtle Beach area, she is a true friend to her sweet state of South Carolina.”
Haley started off her speech by acknowledging the U.S. Army troops who were killed in the recent drone attack and asked everyone to take a moment to pray for those lives lost. She said as a military spouse, the topic was both sensitive and important to her.
She shared her goals of taking better care of veterans, preventing war, enforcing “catch and deport” at the border and electing a new generation of conservative leaders.
New York residents Linda and Jack Kaminski, who attended the rally during their winter vacation to South Carolina, believe it’s important to look to the new generation. However, they believe Haley will not last long in the presidential race.
“She disparaged the Republicans, and now she disparaged the Democrats,” Jack said. “Who’s left?”
Just over halfway through her speech, Haley was interrupted by two hecklers. One of the two stood up and voiced his disagreement while ripping one of her campaign signs, and another simply stated he supported Trump.
Haley responded by saying she thinks her and her team, as well as her supporters, are getting under Trump’s skin.
She said all he and his supporters do is cause chaos, after previously stating that Trump is scared to have a debate with her and asked that he “man up.”
Pam Hemphill, a 70-year-old woman who attended the rally, said she was involved in and arrested for the events that took place on Jan. 6, 2021. She was charged with picketing and parading, resulting in a two-month prison sentence and three years parole.
Hemphill said what happened that day was wrong, and she is no longer a Trump supporter, which made hearing what Haley had to say so important to her.
She spoke with Haley briefly after the rally and asked her if she would pardon those charged for the Jan. 6 attacks if she became president, to which Haley said she would not. Although Hemphill is among those being charged, she said she was happy with Haley’s response and left feeling hopeful.
She said she went to the U.S. Capitol that day because she had just had surgery for her breast cancer and was starting chemotherapy soon after.
“I wouldn’t want to be pardoned at all, and I wouldn’t take one if they gave it to me,” Hemphill said. “I thought that would be like a little vacation before I started [chemotherapy], just go and have fun right? A rally. It was the worst day of my life, and I paid a big price.”
