Nikki Haley has called out prejudice but rejected talk of systemic racism throughout her career

By MEG KINNARD and MATT BROWN
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Nikki Haley’s messages on race are sometimes contradictory. Throughout her career, the Republican presidential candidate has generally called out acts of individual prejudice and the people responsible. She has avoided denouncing society or groups of people as racist. As the GOP presidential contest moves to South Carolina, the state’s former governor is trying to cut into Donald Trump’s advantage. The former president has repeatedly attacked adversaries throughout his career with racist language. Haley is the South Carolina-born daughter of Indian immigrants. She wants to appeal to as many voters as possible without alienating conservatives who reject the idea that systemic racism exists in the United States. But her approach sometimes has drawn bipartisan criticism.