I am surprising the front page writers by sneaking over here for this, because this seems like the most appropriate place.

In 2009, we had our first RedState Gathering in Atlanta, GA. One of the people we invited was a South Carolina General Assembly member named Nikki Haley. She had launched a long-shot bid to be Governor of South Carolina. Moe Lane noticed her campaign and suggested/demanded I invite her. That year we had Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Nikki Haley all on stage. They all dazzled the crowd.

What impressed us all about Nikki Haley was her commitment to fighting her own party in the name of transparency and good government. The South Carolina good old boy network hated her and they were hell bent on defeating her.

In December of 2009, Nikki called me two weeks before Christmas. She was just about out of money and needed help. I put up an all call on the front page of RedState and money started pouring into her campaign account. Her campaign manager finally called me and told me that while he did not want us to stop, his candidate was so distracted watching money come in that she wouldn’t leave her computer.

Nikki Haley made it to a runoff and she invited me to stand on the steps of the South Carolina State Capitol to introduce her at a rally where Sarah Palin endorsed her. She went on to win that runoff, despite all sorts of nastiness thrown at her.

For six years, Governor Nikki Haley has overseen a state exploding with growth and opportunity. She has relied on the private sector and incentivized private investment in the state. She doubled down on government ethics and transparency, ensuring the state legislature openly and honestly budgeted and legislated. Through it all, she has cried over her state in tragedy, stood firm in the face of storms, and led its citizens past their past as she lowered the Confederate flag from Capitol grounds.

A few weeks ago, Governor Haley and her daughter sneaked into the State Capitol before anyone else could and raised the Clemson flag in honor of the National Football Championship. It was a fitting end to her tenure in office. She will now go on to the United Nations as our new ambassador.

Nikki Haley was the only person besides those of us at RedState to attend every RedState Gathering. She was as committed to us as we have been to her. I am proud to call her my friend. Though I may not be here any longer, I am delighted that RedState continues to champion Governor Ambassador Haley and happy, at The Resurgent, to join that cause.

God speed, Ambassador Haley.