COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
When the Republican Party confirms its presidential nominee later this month, South Carolina will play a very prominent role.
Mitt Romney asked Gov. Nikki Haley to deliver one of the major speeches of the convention.
"What I've tried to do for the last year and a half is to get South Carolina in that national spotlight, whether it's in tourism, whether it's in bringing in jobs, whether it's just showing them about the reforms we're doing," Haley said. "I think it's a great opportunity for South Carolina and I want the rest of the country to see what a great state we are."
Haley hasn't had a stage this big to tell the country about South Carolina until she takes the podium in Tampa later this month.
Haley, hand picked by Romney's campaign, will deliver one of the keynote speeches during the Republican National Convention. It's a big stage with big responsibility.
"How do I make Governor Romney proud, and how do I make the people of South Carolina proud? That is where my focus is. That's what I'll continue to think about, but this is just a great honor for this state, and I hope the people of the state realize that we're going to be on a national spotlight, and I want to make them proud in the way we do that," Haley said.
As for the speech, Haley says she hasn't written it, but it will include topics like illegal immigration, voter ID, and labor unions -- all wars she says the Obama administration has waged on South Carolina.
Haley joins former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, and presidential campaign veterans John McCain and Mike Huckabee.
Haley says the diversity of the party's leadership shows a marked change in American politics.
"Are they different races? Yes. Are they men and women? Yes. But, these are all leaders who won't complain about it, they'll do something about it. That's what's going to make this convention different. They know we deserve better, but they've proven it in their own states, in their own jobs, in their own careers and they happen to be men and women, they happen to be black and white and Indian and Latino and that says a lot about the Republican Party," Haley said.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.
