Trump won in 2016 because he presented a different political and social message than McCain, Sanford, and Hillary. Affairs don’t matter anymore unless you have a political message that resonates with average people and as long as you focus and be disciplined.
Sanford is a safe, strong man, but would have been destroyed if his affairs came out.
No Republican would have won in 2008 after 8 years of GWB/Cheney, it was just impossible.
But McCain could at least have poured more money in MO, NE, IA, NC and other battleground states to win.
Sanford in 2008 was seen as a GOP star because he was a Gingrich Republican, not a Bush Republican.
The McCain/Sanford/Bush-wing of the Republican party are good for about 35% of the electorate going forward. I’d personally put Pence in that mix. Trump has broken the GOPe, permanently, and for that I’m forever grateful.