Politics

GOP Picks S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley To Respond To The State Of The Union

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a leading Republican candidate for vice president, will deliver the response to the State of the Union.

GOP Picks S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley To Respond To The State Of The Union
Getty Images / Sean Rayford
SMS

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will give the Republican Party's official response to President Obama's State of the Union speech.

Haley was first elected South Carolina's governor in 2010, becoming the state's first female and, as an Indian-American, the first minority governor. She was brought into the national spotlight last year after a racially-motivated mass shooting in Charleston prompted her to call for the removal of the Confederate flag from state capitol grounds.

Haley is considered an up-and-coming star in the GOP, and she's rumored to be a potential vice presidential candidate. Giving the official State of the Union response could give her national prestige a boost: Previous responders include presidential candidate Marco Rubio and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.

Haley will be the third consecutive woman to give the GOP's response to the State of the Union. This year's address will take place Jan. 12.

This video includes an image from Getty Images.