Politics | South Carolina Jenny Sanford Endorses Candidate for SC Governor Influential first lady could give crucial boost to Nikki Haley By Nick McMaster Posted Nov 12, 2009 1:47 PM CST Copied Jenny Sanford, wife of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, speaks about her husband's recent affair admission at the family beach house in Sullivans Island, S.C., on Friday, June 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Alice Keeney) Jenny Sanford is getting back into politics—by endorsing a relative underdog in the South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary. Mark Sanford's estranged wife announced her support for Nikki Haley, a "principled, conservative, tough and smart” candidate, in the five-way race for the nomination to replace her husband. Haley was a strong ally of Mark Sanford's but has distanced herself from the governor since the scandal surrounding his extramarital affair. Jenny Sanford, a former Wall Street executive who managed both her husband’s campaigns, could be a key ally for Haley, who has less money on hand than her primary rivals. “Some folks are questioning if Haley's a credible candidate," a political scientist tells the State. "But Jenny Sanford carries some weight. It sends a signal that you might not be wasting your vote." Read These Next White House rolls with Trump's 'daddy' nickname. New Fox star, 23, misses first day after car troubles. Supreme Court ruling is a big blow to Planned Parenthood. Man accused of killing his daughters might be dead. Report an error