Nikki Haley on Confederate flag on S.C. statehouse: CEOs haven't complained

COLUMBIA, S.C., Oct. 16 (UPI) -- South Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley said the presence of a Confederate flag on the statehouse has not come up in her efforts to recruit businesses to the state: Not "a single CEO" has complained about it.

Haley was debating her opponent Tuesday when Democratic challenger Vincent Sheheen called for the removal of the flag. Haley recognized the subject as a "sensitive issue," but rejected the idea of removing it.

"What I can tell you is over the last three and a half years, I spent a lot of my days on the phones with CEOs and recruiting jobs to this state," she said. "I can honestly say I have not had one conversation with a single CEO about the Confederate flag."

She acknowledged that South Carolina has had race issues in the past but discussed the progress they had made.

"But we really kind of fixed all that when you elected the first Indian-American female governor," said Haley. "When we appointed the first African-American U.S. senator, that sent a huge message."

As of Oct. 1, Haley held a 10-point lead over Sheheen for re-election.