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Mark Sanford makes a last-minute bid to return to Congress — again — in South Carolina
Associated Press ^ | March 30th, 2026 | Meg Kinnard and Jeffrey Collins

Posted on 03/30/2026 8:10:40 PM PDT by buckalfa

t today Texas school shooting Charlie Kirk highway vetoed Mary Beth Hurt dies at 79 Politics Mark Sanford makes a last-minute bid to return to Congress — again — in South Carolina Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford speaks during a news conference in front of the Statehouse, Nov. 12, 2019, in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File) Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford speaks during a news conference in front of the Statehouse, Nov. 12, 2019, in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

By MEG KINNARD and JEFFREY COLLINS Updated 5:14 PM EDT, March 30, 2026 Comments 11

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Mark Sanford, the former South Carolina congressman and governor whose political ascendency was stalled by a 2009 affair, wants to return to Congress — again.

An outsider with almost no name recognition when he launched his first congressional campaign for the 1994 contest, Sanford — a real estate investor — navigated a primary for the open seat, finishing second before winning the runoff. He served for six years before his outside run at governor, again pushing his way through a crowded primary, then knocking off the last Democrat to hold the office.

Just hours ahead of the deadline to do so, Sanford filed candidacy paperwork with state officials on Monday to run in the June 9 GOP primary for South Carolina’s 1st District seat, which he has held twice before.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: sabfird; sotgcarolina
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He's back! Mark "Appalachian Trail" Sanford has filed to run in the GOP primary to fill the House seat being vacated by Nancy Mace. The GOP seems intent on losing bigly come Nivember.
1 posted on 03/30/2026 8:10:40 PM PDT by buckalfa
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To: buckalfa

He had his defenders here for some reason.


2 posted on 03/30/2026 8:15:41 PM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: buckalfa

He announced his candidacy from high atop the AT. 😏


3 posted on 03/30/2026 8:19:52 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: buckalfa

is he still boinking the latina chick he gave up his lovely wife for?


4 posted on 03/30/2026 8:27:09 PM PDT by pissant ((Deport them all))
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To: buckalfa

“The Love Gov” is back!


5 posted on 03/30/2026 8:30:00 PM PDT by Apparatchik (Русские свиньи, идите домой)
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To: buckalfa

Rep. Mark Sanford (R) Appalachian Trail


6 posted on 03/30/2026 8:34:11 PM PDT by Round Earther
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To: ansel12

Well, redemption is possible. I don’t know enough to judge whether he has yet earned that. It’s I high bar.


7 posted on 03/30/2026 8:35:13 PM PDT by House Atreides (I’m now ULTRA-MAGA-PRO-M)
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To: buckalfa

Why don’t people like him just check out and enjoy their millions, pork their secretary, or whatever.
WHY are they always determined to get into public office and get some kinda power?


8 posted on 03/30/2026 8:35:28 PM PDT by DesertRhino (When men on the chessboard, get up and tell you where to go…)
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To: buckalfa

I had forgotten Mark is a republican. You would think his ex-wife and his four sons have already suffered enough embarrassment. That story was everywhere for weeks and weeks.


9 posted on 03/30/2026 8:41:02 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: pissant
No. Of course their engagement was called off. The phrase too hot not to cool down applies. Fifteen year old hormonal teenage girls have nothing on this moony eyed drama queen. How much can a woman take of this slobbering fool? It had to be exhausting.

His press conference announcement that he had met his soulmate was one of the most embarrassing displays of a love sick man I have ever seen in my lifetime.

He did recover and went on to bang bat-s***-crazy Olivia Nuzzi, the one that had the recent affair with Robert Kennedy Jr.

10 posted on 03/30/2026 8:47:19 PM PDT by CaptainK ("No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up” )
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To: House Atreides

“Well, redemption is possible. I don’t know enough to judge whether he has yet earned that. “

once a lying scumbag politician, ALWAYS a lying scumbag politician ... there’s no such thing as political redemption for scumbags like that ... period ...


11 posted on 03/30/2026 8:56:34 PM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: Georgia Girl 2
Goes missing for six days, then claims he was hiking the Appalachian Trail while he was actually in Argentina banging his Argentine journalist girlfriend. Did a search but no mention of who he's sharing a bed with these days.

There's plenty of ignoramuses out there who will vote for him.

12 posted on 03/30/2026 8:58:18 PM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
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To: mass55th

I had high hopes for him once. Same with Kasich.


13 posted on 03/30/2026 9:19:31 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: DIRTYSECRET
"I had high hopes for him once. Same with Kasich."

But then they go and show people what asshats they really are.

14 posted on 03/30/2026 9:55:51 PM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
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To: buckalfa

“South Carolina’s 1st District”

That’s where I live. First crazy Nancy Mace and now Sanford. He certainly has name recognition though. There’s a very bizarre energy just below the sugary sweet coating in SC. Sigh.


15 posted on 03/31/2026 4:24:48 AM PDT by DeplorablePaul
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To: buckalfa

Youse can’t keep a good man down.


16 posted on 03/31/2026 4:27:36 AM PDT by dennisw (Qatarlson the Insufferable blowhard = There is no limit to human stupidity.)
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To: DesertRhino

Why don’t people like him just check out and enjoy their millions, pork their secretary, or whatever.
WHY are they always determined to get into public office and get some kinda power?
__________

They and wives love the social scene. Non stop kissing their asses. Getting treated like king n queen at restaurants, golf clubs, cocktail parties.

Their staffers do the heavy lifting and crucial work anyway. This is how dummy AOC survives in DC, along with many other dumbass Democrat hacks.

You don’t have to be smart, you just need tremendous drive n self confidence. In fact it helps if you are not smart.


17 posted on 03/31/2026 4:36:38 AM PDT by dennisw (Qatarlson the Insufferable blowhard = There is no limit to human stupidity.)
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To: dennisw; DesertRhino

Political roles are the American version of aristocracy. Imagine all that power and kowtowing and you get to be called president, ambassador, honorable, senator for the rest of your life.

And like other aristocracies you can buy your way in!

Duke Duke Duke

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=onyP5tFtL_g&list=RDonyP5tFtL_g&start_radio=1&pp=ygUYZHVrZSBvZiBlYXJsIHNvbmcgbHlyaWNzoAcB


18 posted on 03/31/2026 4:47:09 AM PDT by Chickensoup
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To: DeplorablePaul
"That’s where I live"

With Mace and Norman running for governor, you basically have two open House seats in South Carolina. Do you see any chance of a Democrat pick up in either of those seats? With growth, both Charleston and the Charlotte spill over into Rock Hill have a purple hue.

19 posted on 03/31/2026 4:54:46 AM PDT by buckalfa (More chaos and disruption please)
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To: Chickensoup

US Senators are the DC super royalty. They are in DC for decades. You are just a Rep ... most are below a ranking member of The Cabinet. Such as Marco Rubio.

Reps who endure for decades, who control crucial House spending committees, get max kiss-ass. The top lobbyists swarm them (and their chief of staff) due the big mega bucks involved.


20 posted on 03/31/2026 5:00:07 AM PDT by dennisw (Qatarlson the Insufferable blowhard = There is no limit to human stupidity.)
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