Politics & Government

‘Clemson love story:’ Former SC Gov. Nikki Haley announces daughter’s engagement

Rena Haley, the daughter of Nikki Haley, is officially engaged, the former South Carolina governor announced Sunday.

“He asked…She said yes!” Haley tweeted Sunday, alongside two photos of Rena and her now-fiance, Joshua Jackson. “And just like that, we have another son. So proud and happy for both of them.”

Haley, a Clemson alumna who serves on the university’s board of trustees, wrote that her heart skipped a beat about this “Clemson love story.”

Jackson played wide receiver on the former Clemson football team; Rena is a pediatric nurse. Both graduated from Clemson in 2021.

Haley served as South Carolina governor until 2017, when she stepped down to serve in the Trump administration as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. She resigned the U.N. post in 2018, fueling speculation she was readying a campaign to run for president.

She has since formed a PAC focused on economic, cultural and national security issues, and recently teased a potential Republican presidential bid in 2024.

Gov. Nikki Haley, her family, Michael, Rena and Nalin lead the recession from the ceremony after she and other state officers took the oath of office during the inauguration Wednesday on the State House steps. 1/14/15
Gov. Nikki Haley, her family, Michael, Rena and Nalin lead the recession from the ceremony after she and other state officers took the oath of office during the inauguration Wednesday on the State House steps. 1/14/15 Tim Dominick tdominick@thestate.com

This story was originally published July 25, 2022 at 10:18 AM.

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Stephen Pastis
The State
Stephen Pastis is a reporting intern for The State’s politics and government team. He is rising senior at the University of South Carolina, where he is the arts and culture editor of his college paper, The Daily Gamecock, and was a contributing writer for the Free Times Columbia.
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