S.C. governor neutral on GOP candidates

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WASHINGTON, May 15 (UPI) -- South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said voters in her key Republican state are looking for a GOP presidential candidate willing to make tough decisions.

Haley declined to endorse any of the early field of candidates in her appearance Sunday on ABC's "This Week with Christiane Amanpour" but offered some compliments to Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney.

The first-term governor said Gingrich had a lot of good ideas and had overcome many personal challenges in his career.

Romney, she said, would be saddled with his healthcare policy while governor of Massachusetts. "The interesting thing was he was one of the only governors that showed courage when it came to dealing with healthcare," she said.

ABC said no Republican had ever won the presidential nomination without carrying South Carolina, which makes Haley's backing important in the run-up to the 2012 election.

"I think that we are looking for a leader that's willing to make courageous stands, take strong policy decisions, but also admit when a mistake was made," Haley said.