A South Carolina political blogger, and intense supporter of Nikki Haley's bid for governor, "admits" this morning to an affair with her — because, he says, "a group of political operatives" out to "destroy" Haley has turned up evidence (which he doesn't share) of the affair.
Will Folks is a credible enough character that the AP has run with the story, and Haley's campaign put out a statement just now denying the claim and calling it "South Carolina politics at its worst."
I have been 100% faithful to my husband throughout our 13 years of marriage. This claim against me is categorically and totally false.
It is sad, but not surprising, that this disgraceful smear has taken form less than a week removed from the release of a poll showing our campaign with a significant lead. It is quite simply South Carolina politics at its worst.
These attacks — and those sure to follow — are an effort at distraction, but I will keep my focus on what matters, and that is delivering South Carolina's government back to our people. That's a fight I have fought for the last five years. That's why I entered this race for Governor. And that's what I will continue to do, despite any outrageous and false claims that are thrown at me.
This story, as you'd expect in South Carolina, is a Byzantine one, with a lot of complicated back story. Folks, a former spokesman for Mark Sanford, pleaded guilty to domestic violence a few years ago. He was also the target of intense enmity in Columbia for reportedly working with Sanford on a project to oust recalcitrant Republican incumbents — and of intense scrutiny. One South Carolina source points out this clip, in which a reporter jokes with Folks about digging through his trash.
One other note: I think the way this story plays is extremely difficult to predict, but while male politicians sometimes pay a price for infidelity, the notion of reporters and opposition researchers digging into the past of a married woman for allegedly straying strikes me as more likely to produce sympathy than anything else.
UPDATE: Tom Jensen seems to have that same instinct that it's very different for a woman.
