I think this is going to be my last post about this race, guys. Every time I write one, no matter how hard I scrub afterwards, I can’t get the filth off my hands.

This latest bit started with David Brody of CBN, wondering why Haley’s campaign website in 2004 emphasized her Sikh faith and why her current one emphasizes her Christian faith. Just a case of a reporter doing a little digging on his own initiative? Not quite. Ben Smith:

[I]n the nasty game of South Carolina politics, in which Haley has already been accused twice publicly of infidelity, the religion story has a clear political charge. Brody told me in an email that his story was prompted by “a tip from an anonymous source,” and Tim Pearson, Haley’s spokesman, said the story was “being shopped” and that Brody wasn’t the only reporter to call him about it.

A source close to the campaign of one rival — Rep. Gresham Barrett, who touts his Christian faith in his ads — said the Barrett campaign has at least discussed playing the religion card. The source said his aides sometimes refer to her by the Indian name with which she was born, “Nimrata,” in the campaign office.

“They always thought that the relgion thing would be what would save Gresham in the end against Nikki,” said the source, an outside adviser to Barrett who said he was speaking to a reporter because he disliked the notion of attacking Haley on her faith.

Barrett’s camp adamantly denies that they’re responsible. Now that we’ve covered ye olde infidelity and “foreigner” smears, I figure we’re two days away from the obligatory lesbian accusation and then, on primary eve, maybe an “anonymous tip” that she killed a bunch of kids back in the 80s or something. But the biggest bombshell of all is being saved for the general election. Could Nikki Haley be … a closet atheist? Hopefully Will Folks’s book shall reveal all, my friends.

Two clips for you. One is from last night’s debate of Haley reducing Andre Bauer to speechlessness by wondering why he didn’t fire the consultant who’s now claiming an affair with her sooner. The other is of the consultant himself, who isn’t what I pictured when I heard that some guy was alleging a one-night stand with Nikki Haley. From one beta male to another, buddy: Nuh uh.

Update: The good news, I guess, is that there’s not much further to go until rock bottom.

South Carolina Republicans were quick Thursday evening to condemn the remarks of a prominent Republican State Senator, Jake Knotts, who referred to a gubernatorial candidate as a “raghead” on an online political show today.

Knotts, a foe of Governor Mark Sanford and his protege, State Rep. Nikki Haley, made the remark of Haley on the local webcast PubPolitics.

Haley’s campaign and the state GOP both condemned him.