Gov. Nikki Haley Mum on DeMint Appointment During Visit

Gov. Nikki Haley garnered few chuckles from the reporters gathered at a brief press conference after her tour of the North Charleston Boeing Plant Tuesday.

"I'm here to make a big announcement," she led off. "We build planes."

Although not expecting the announcement on her appointment of Sen. Jim DeMint's successor, reporters deflated. Haley allowed few questions from reporters on the impending appointment — the answers were nothing new. 

She will make the decision soon, but won't give a timeline. The decision warrants her attention and she will make sure it's someone who is aligned with the values of South Carolina. 

"We need to find someone who's not going to be a placeholder," Haley said.

Haley would not confirm any speculation on potential candidates, but said she did not seek the seat herself because she "made a promise to the people of South Carolina that I was running for governor." 

"There are numerous good people who could hold the position. South Caroina is not limited on good people," Haley said.

Haley visited the Lowcountry Tuesday, stopping first at Boeing for a 90-minute tour. It was her first time back to the plant since it opened. There, she met with a class of sixth graders from Morningside Middle School, which were there for Boeing's Dream Learners program. 

She left Boeing at around 12:30 p.m. to head to a 2 p.m. Mount Pleasant appointment at BenefitFocus for a jobs announcement.