Source: Hindustan Times

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5967_816151,001600060001.htm

On June 10, 2004 Hindustan Times reported, "Indian American Nikki Randhawa-Haley, who came within 100 votes of wining the Republican primaries for the South Carolina assembly, is ready for a one-on-one with incumbent Larry Koon in the runoff June 22. Running from the 87th District, Haley, 32, was pitted against Koon, who had earlier indicated he might not run again, making Randhawa clinch her decision to enter politics. Considered one of Lexington County's most competitive State House races, the three-way split was a result of another novice candidate, David Perry, an insurance agent and former state trooper taking some of the vote in the race to displace the longest serving member of the State House, Koon. A resident of Lexington, [Haley] was born and brought up in the state, despite which she said, she faced negative stereotyping as a South Asian and for the fact that she followed the Sikh religion."