During her remarks, Haley mentioned her own election — she is the nation’s second Indian-American governor, after Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) — as evidence that South Carolina could transcend the wounds of its past. She had made the same point in the 2014 TV debate that touched on the flag issue, suggesting her election was one of the things that had “fixed” public perceptions of the state.

That point also highlights a reason for attractiveness on the national level to a Republican Party that has struggled with crucial demographic groups, including younger women and non-whites.

O’Connell said that Haley could potentially help with this problem were she to be added to a presidential ticket. One asset, he suggested, is that “she could stop the bleeding of women to Hillary Clinton.”

In 2012, there had been some speculation that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney could choose Haley as his running mate. That didn’t happen, and some have suggested that Haley could struggle with the rigorous vetting that is required of vice presidential nominees.