Sanford is as conservative as Palin-—maybe even more so. In looking at her record, Palin has governed more from the center-right than the far right.
Sanford also has his “Katie Couric” moment in the CNN interview. If/when he runs for national office, the lefties will be replaying that one ad nauseum.
I don't think it will hurt him much. All he really failed to do was come up with some BS "difference" between McCain's and Bush's economic policies--a difficult task considering McCain's failure to articulate any clear economic policy outside of his opposition to earmarks (which Bush has also opposed). The interview reflected at least as badly on McCain as it did on Sanford, and Sanford will have a much easier time articulating his own views, which are actually grounded in a solid conservative philosophy.
What’s a “far right” ?