Could the Despicable Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford Actually Lose the Race for the Republican House Seat in a Heavy Republican District

Probably Not – But Surely Even South Carolinians Must Have Their Limits

When Republicans went all affirmative action on us and appointed an African American to the Senate, his House seat opened up.  The district is heavily Republican, going for Mitt Romney by 18 points.  The Democrat’s only claim to fame is that she is the sister of Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert.  But the nominee for the seat is former Governor Mark Sanford, not exactly a saint.

As the astute commentator for the Washington Post Chris Cillazza notes, Mr. Sanford is charged with trespassing against his ex-wife, and tells us the reason she is his ex-wife.

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and his fiancee Maria Belen Chapur

Now, watching the Superbowl with your son in your ex-wife’s beachhouse isn’t the same thing as leaving the state for five days when you are the governor, telling your staff you are the hiking the Appalachian Trail and then admitting in a press conference that you were having an extramarital affair. (We still can’t believe all of that actually happened.)

Mr. Sanford also thrust his sons into the limelight, against their will apparently.

This comes from Aaron Blake and Karen Tumulty’s piece on the Sanford saga:

The Washington Post has learned that tensions within the family flared up as recently as April 2, at the celebration of Sanford’s runoff election victory when the former governor thrust two of his sons on-stage with the Argentine woman who was at the center of the spectacular sex scandal that broke up his marriage.

For Sanford’s teenage son Bolton, that very public moment marked the first time he had ever been in the  presence of Maria Belen Chapur.

Sanford’s former wife Jenny confirmed in a text message: “That was indeed Bolton’s first intro and both boys were quite upset and visibly so.”

So the Republican Party has withdrawn its support and suddenly the Democrat could win.  But we are not sure.  Voters in South Carolina do have their standards, but they are so low that someone like Mark Sanford can still be elected.