Well, in Sanford’s case, it would have had to have been a very long-term project, in that it all started (if I read correctly) about 8 years ago...
Yes... these are long term dalliances which
gives the victim a false sense of confidence.
They are exposed and/or blackmailed at the
discretion of their enemies. It is a device
conservatives won’t use. The media would
refuse to expose liberals caught in the same
moral deception. So it wouldn’t work even
if conservatives tried something like this.
Proudly wearing my tinfoil hat.