Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Oath administered by House Speaker John Boehner.
The journey back to public life for Mark Sanford was made complete today when he was sworn into Congress Sanford was sworn in by House Speaker John Boehner in the Capital Building in Washington, DC. He spoke briefly after the ceremony and was joined on the House floor by members of the Congressional delegation. "I stand before you with a whole new appreciation, indeed for a god of second chances and how in the events of our life, up our down, how we can be redefined as human beings," Sanford said, in part. View the entire speech HERE. Sanford previously served three terms in the House from 1995-2001 and will pick up his tenure, putting him in the top half of lawmakers in terms of seniority. However, Sanford is not expected to land a seat …
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Newly elected Congressman faces personal and policy questions.
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, newly elected congressman Mark Sanford had a sometimes testy exchange with host Chris Wallace. After asking him a series of qestions about policy, Wallace then asked Sanford about his fiancee Maria Belen Chapur, which Sanford refused to answer, wondering if he was being interviewed by the National Enquirer. Wallace then asked Sanford about his relatioship with other Republicans, given that the NRCC had abandoned him during the general election portion of the race. Sanford said he's eager to move on and, "the past is past." When Wallace inquired about any future offices Sanford might pursue the former governor said, in part, "My focus is to be the best possible congressman I can be for the First Congressional …
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Satirist said he's turning his back on South Carolina.
On his comedy show Wednesday evening, Stephen Colbert bemoaned the loss of his sister Elizabeth to Mark Sanford in Tuesday's special election for the First Congressional District seat. "The Colbert Report" host said he felt betrayed by his home state and now would consider himself to be a native of North Carolina. Being a Tar Heel, Colbert said, meant he now preferred vinegar-based barbecue to mustard-based barbecue. His attempt to sample the former version was about as successful as his sister's campaign. The satirist also said the results have caused him to have an epiphany about the nature of campaigning. Keep up with all of Patch's coverage of South Carolina politics by following us on Facebook HERE and Twitter HERE.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Maria Chapur joined fiance Mark Sanford at his SC1 victory party in Mount Pleasant.
MOUNT PLEASANT, SC — Looking forward to Congressman-elect Mark Sanford's wedding to Maria Belen Chapur of Argentina? Chapur wasn't quite ready to announce any wedding plans when she arrived at her fiance's victory party Tuesday in Mount Pleasant. "We're just celebrating tonight," she told Patch. In Sanford's acceptance speech, he thanked his fiancee for making a 10-hour trip from Argentina. Watch his acceptance video here. In April, Chapur also attended Sanford's GOP primary victory party. If Sanford and Chapur tie the knot while he's in office, Sanford won't be the first Congressman to marry after being elected. Most recently, in December 2012, Congressman-elect Joe Kennedy III married. Chapur made Time's list of Top 10 Mistresses of …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Green Party candidate Eugene Platt saw several positive outcomes from his First Congressional District race despite finishing a distant third
No one can claim Eugene Platt and the Green Party played the spoiler role in the First Congressional District race won by former Gov. Mark Sanford Tuesday. "I want to congratulate Gov. Sanford on his win, and [Elizabeth Colbert] Busch on her run," Platt said. "I'm happy with what we did, giving people a third choice. So many times in South Carolina we only have two choices on the ballot, and a lot of times it's only one choice." With less than 1,000 votes, according to unofficial results, Platt didn't manage to break 1 percent of the vote, but he isn't disheartened. "I'm so relieved, but it was all worth it," Platt said. "The better part of 1,000 people voted for me, that's more people than I know." His main goal during the election was to…
Voters may have not forgiven the former governor but they kept the First District seat in Republican hands Tuesday.
To become one of the most spectacular political stories of a Comeback Kid, Mark Sanford didn't need forgiveness — and didn't receive much from voters who admitted to personally disliking the former governor — but needed to take advantage of the South Carolina First Congressional District's dislike of national Democrats like House Minority Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama. The Republican nominee for S.C. First Congressional District won 54 percent of the vote in Tuesday's special election triggered by the appointment of former Congressman and now-Sen. Tim Scott to the U.S. Senate. While the district has remained in GOP control for more than 30 years, Sanford was outspent and, at times, lagging behind his Democratic rival …
Longtime Republican district stays that way after special election.
Elizabeth Colbert Busch came up short in her bid to become the first Democrat to represent the First Congressional District in more than 30 years. Colbert Busch was defeated by Republican Mark Sanford 54-45 percent. Turnout was estimated to be 31 percent, very high for a special election and one of the many factors working in Sanford's favor. Colbert Busch spoke briefly to her supporters once the race was called, thanking them for their support and acknowledging that, given the staunch Republican majority in the district, the race was an uphill climb from the start. Sanford’s win caps one of the most remarkable comebacks in political history and returns him to the office he held from 1995-2001. Colbert Busch was not able to capitalize on …
The formerly disgraced Republican governor returns to Congress with a victory.
Mark Sanford, whose political career was left for dead with dozens of ethics violations and an extramarital affair made very public, will return to Congress. With 100 precinct of precincts reporting, Sanford collected 54 percent of the votes against Elizabeth Colbert Busch in South Carolina's First Congressional District special election. Turnout was very high for a special election at 31 percent, which helped the former governor in the highly conservative district. In the end, Sanford didn't win on forgiveness — which is good, because he didn't get it. See how Sanford was able to win the election here. On Wednesday, Sanford got more good news when he settled a Charleston County Family Court case against his ex-wife, Jenny Sanford. See …
Lowcountry voters head to the polls to select a new Congressman.
There were no shortage of opinions Tuesday as Lowcountry voters headed to the polls to select a new Congressman. The race for South Carolina's First District seat in the U.S. House pits Elizabeth Colbert Busch, a Democrat and political newcomer, against former Gov. Mark Sanford, the Republican who held the Congressional seat in the 1990s.
Former governor and congressman makes final push for votes.
Mark Sanford was a busy man on Monday. He criss-crossed the First Congressional District on the last full day of his race against Elizabeth Colbert Busch in a manner that was enthusiastic without being desperate. The former governor was happy to talk politics with anyone who crossed his path and was more accessible than usual—at one point driving a reporter around Charleston County—which is saying something. With his political life on the line on Tuesday, Sanford maintained a breezy confidence resulting from a belief he had done all he could do to win what is expected to be close race. At an end-of-day dinner with volunteers, Sanford thanked them for their support before saying, "It's up to the voters and the Lord." The supporters were …
Tom Martin
8:17 pm on Friday, May 17, 2013
I agree, GunnyHighway. If he was willing to betray his now former wife, he can betray the best interests of this country. more ›