Nikki Haley didn't say slavery caused the Civil War. Now she's facing major backlash

In this file photo, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during a town hall on Dec. 18 in Nevada, Iowa.

Charlie Neibergall / Charlie Neibergall

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is facing significant backlash after failing to mention slavery as a driving force behind the Civil War during a campaign stop in New Hampshire.

At an event on Wednesday, a voter asked Haley: “what was the cause of the United States Civil War?”

She replied that the cause “was basically how government was going to run, the freedoms, and what people could and couldn’t do.”