Posted: June 4th, 2010 02:29 PM ET
From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby
South Carolina Sen. Jake Knotts is in hot water over a comment he made about Nikki Haley
(CNN) – South Carolina state Sen. Jake Knotts' use of a racial slur Thursday to describe gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley has drawn him a primary challenger.
Former Lexington County GOP chairwoman Katrina Shealy had already been plotting a run against Knotts in 2012, but she told CNN Friday that Knotts' "raghead" remark prompted her to make a very early entry into the race that won't happen for two years.
State senators serve four year terms in the Palmetto State.
The 2012 Republican primary will be a re-match of the 2008 race for the Columbia-area Senate seat, which Shealy lost in a runoff by a 57 to 42 margin.
"After the episode yesterday, I just kind of went ahead and threw it out there," Shealy told CNN. "The political climate out there is so ugly. I am sick and tired of the negative politics. We need to clean house and start over."
Shealy, an insurance underwriter, had the backing of Gov. Mark Sanford and his small government allies in the 2008 race.
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