Nikki Haley, the popular governor of South Carolina, has long been a name which many thought could end up on a ticket as a vice-presidential candidate.

But, some say Nikki Haley‘s handling of the massacre of nine South Carolina Christians at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church last month and the subsequent removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina Statehouse could push her even further up the list.

Nikki Haley was on Meet the Press last Sunday to talk about the importance of the symbolic gesture.

She said, “I think it meant a lot of things to a lot of different people. What I can tell you was it felt like a massive weight had been lifted off South Carolina. We can truly say it’s a new day in South Carolina.”

This is a story about the history of South Carolina, and how the action of nine individuals laid out this long chain of events that forever showed the state of South Carolina what love and forgiveness looks like.

A photo posted by Governor Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) on Jul 9, 2015 at 2:54pm PDT

Nikki Haley added, “It was emotional. You know, I think that it was hard for me to look at that flag coming down and not think about the Emanuel Nine, not think about those nine people who took in someone that didn’t look like them, didn’t sound like them, and accepted him and prayed with him for an hour [before he shot them]. It is hard for us to not think about those nine people.”

While Nikki Haley’s extraordinary handling of the tragedy has thrust her into the spotlight, she is reluctant to acknowledge the new life that has been injected into her political career in light of what happened to get her all the new attention.

Counting our blessings for family this Fourth of July weekend…

A photo posted by Governor Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) on Jul 5, 2015 at 7:30am PDT

When Nikki Haley was asked about how she feels about all the attention, she simply said that it was “painful” because “nine people died in Charleston.”

Nikki Haley is already close friends with many of the Republican candidates who have entered the field.

July Fourth is just around the corner. Soon we will once again celebrate the birth of our nation and our freedoms. It will be fitting that our state Capitol will soon fly the flags of our country and of our state, and no others.

A photo posted by Governor Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) on Jun 22, 2015 at 2:33pm PDT

For instance, Nikki Haley campaigned for Scott Walker in his 2011 recall election. Scott Walker then returned the favor by campaigning for Nikki Haley’s 2013 reelection.

Nikki Haley is also buddies with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal.

Do you think Nikki Haley’s handling of the tragedy and flag removal helped her chances of becoming someone’s VP?