Mark Sanford Launches Comeback Bid for SC-1 Seat, 17th Time Seeking Office
Key Takeaways
- Filed candidacy for June GOP primary to run in SC-1.
- Seeks to reclaim SC-1 seat from Nancy Mace as she runs for governor.
- Field includes 11 Republicans and 7 Democrats, per state filings.
Sanford Files for SC-1
Sanford filed to run in the June 9 GOP primary for South Carolina's 1st District seat.
He has held the seat twice before.
He enters with a message centered on fiscal restraint.
Legacy of the Appalachian Trail Affair
Sanford's time as governor was overshadowed by his disappearance to go to Argentina to see his lover.
His wife, family and staff didn't know where he was.
He beat back ethics inquiries and won back his old seat in 2013.
Sanford Challenges Mace for SC-1
Sanford is challenging Nancy Mace, who is running for governor.
“Mark Sanford, the former South Carolina governor and congressman whose political rise was overshadowed by a widely publicized extramarital affair in 2009, is seeking a return to Congress”
He has kept more than $1.3 million in a campaign account.
The seat flipped to Democrat Joe Cunningham before Mace won it back.
Difficult GOP Landscape
Sanford's comeback comes amid a crowded field.
He earned early buzz as a potential 2012 presidential candidate.
His fortunes crashed after the 2009 scandal.
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