COLUMBIA, S.C. — Former Governor Nikki Haley has announced plans to enter the Republican Primary, later this month.
The former United Nations ambassador is throwing her hat into the presidential ring.
Before she served as governor, she served in the House of Representatives for District 87 in Lexington County, where residents out and about today expressed excitement about her run.
"I'm very excited, I love Nikki Haley when she was in charge of our state, I think she will be phenomenal as a national representative, the people that I know that I hang around with have a lot of respect for her," says resident Debbie McDermott
"I've heard from plenty of people she's running and again it makes me excited we could possibly have someone from South Carolina in the White House," added Wyatt Waites.
So what are her odds of winning?
We spoke with University of South Carolina Political Professor Kirk Randazzo about her odds.
"The biggest challenge going forward is getting her name and message out to people around the country, but she's got a good record to run on when she was governor, especially presiding over the confederate flag removal from the State House, she's got good foreign policy credentials now after her stint as Ambassador to the U.N. and maybe most importantly, I think she's got a really good temperament for dealing with Donald Trump."
Over at the State House lawmakers from both sides, are wishing her luck.
"There's never or seems never to be a shortage of somebody from South Carolina, standing up and giving it a go, and so to the fact she's educated in South Carolina, went to University in South Carolina. I guess we all wish her well in that regard, but it seems like a long shot," says Senate Minority Leader (D-Orangeburg), Brad Hutto.
"This has the potential to become a very contentious race, I will not be, I will not be a part of that so I think that's another reason why I'm just kinda you know, watch and see what happens, and be proud of all the leaders of our state," adds Senator (R-Kershaw), Penry Gustafson.
Haley has scheduled a "special announcement" on Wednesday, February 15th in Charleston, which is expected to be her run for the presidency.