COLUMBIA, S.C. --- Republican Gov. Mark Sanford is no stranger to going it alone -- and nearly three months after calling his mistress his "soul mate," he's been virtually marooned.
Since his unannounced, five-day visit in June with his Argentine mistress, there has been a growing chorus of state political leaders calling for him to resign.
While he initially seemed on track to weather the storm, the affair, his wife's struggles to save their marriage -- and subsequent reports that call into question his use of state, private and commercial planes -- are stirring up talk that the Legislature when it reconvenes in January is almost certain to vote to impeach him.
Just this past week, the leaders of the state Republican Party and 61 of 72 GOP House members who will deal with impeachment called on him to resign. The party and legislators say too many distractions continue to stem from the sordid saga.
Mr. Sanford has apologized for the affair but contends scrutiny of his travel is coming from political foes and media unfairly holding him to different standards than his predecessors.
Early on, after the governor's revelations about his mistress, most influential state Republicans said Mr. Sanford should be given space to focus on his marriage -- and few insisted he leave office. In some quarters, there also were concerns about passing the reins to Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, who is a Republican but is elected separately and has expressed an interest in running for governor in 2010.
But concerns about the political domino effect -- and the fellow Republicans whom Mr. Sanford has spent the better part of two terms alienating -- weren't a factor as the GOP hashed their call for Mr. Sanford to resign.
Mr. Sanford for his two terms often has clashed with members of his own party, decrying some as fiscally irresponsible and "Republicans in name only." In the months before his revelation of an extramarital affair, Sanford unsuccessfully tried to prevent the Republicans who control the Legislature from using federal stimulus money for state schools.
Political observers say the governor, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits, put himself in a spot with few friends to weather the fight of his life.
"It's a good case study of why politicians shouldn't be happy to be loners: then you don't really have a lot to fall back on," said Danielle Vinson, a Furman University political scientist.
AGAIN, GOVERNOR SAYS HE'S STAYING
COLUMBIA, S.C. --- Gov. Mark Sanford told a group of South Carolina's up-and-coming leaders that he's considered quitting several times but is staying in office.
The Republican made the remarks to a Leadership South Carolina class Friday.
He has spent weeks starting speeches with a public apology about the affair he had with a woman in Argentina that's sparked investigations into his travel.
Mr. Sanford says legislators concerned about his political ambitions kept his agenda of streamlining government from advancing. The crowd laughed when he said his political future was now off the table.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
hundreds of articles on Sanford and none on Van Jones or Charlie Rangle. Can we say "agenda", AP?
How about this agenda: 1 down, hundreds to go.
Very little on Edwards and his sordid affair and having a baby with his lover, denying it and all while his wife fights cancer. Where are you AP/Reuters, NY Terrorist Times? It is time for sanford to step down ad he can't be effective as governor after this mess.