Mark Sanford to announce run for Congress Wednesday

Jenny Sanford, the ex-wife of former South Carolina Governor, Mark Sanford, comments on his reported run for Congress.

Updated 3:10 pm ET: Ex-South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford will announce tomorrow that he is running for Congress, First Read confirms with an aide close to Sanford.

Sanford will announce via press release tomorrow; there will be no press conference or public events associated with it, according to an aide.

NBC previously reported that Sanford would attempt a political comeback running for his old first congressional district seat. Sanford would be running to replace Tim Scott, who was appointed to Jim DeMint's Senate seat. 

DeMint resigned from Congress to head up The Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think tank and activist group.

National Review has a lengthy Q&A with Sanford on why he's running, including his first shot at explaining his 2009 disappearance and affair with an Argentine TV reporter.

"There’s a larger philosophical question. In life we’re all going to make mistakes, we’re all going to come up short," Sanford said. "The key is, how do you get back up and how do you learn from those mistakes? . . . But I think that the bigger issue is, don’t judge any one person by their best day, don’t judge them by their worst day. Look at the totality, the whole of their life, and make judgments accordingly."

He added, "You’ve got to look under the hood. There’s that sensational headline, to look and say, 'Wow, big ethics charge.' Beyond the headline, what does that mean? You say, 'Hm. There were 37 counts the ethics committee brought, and did you know half of those are for taking a business-class ticket?' You look under the hood and you say, 'Wow.'"

Sanford also touted his record, including that he turned down stimulus funds.

"I was rated No. 1 in Congress by National Taxpayers Union, and No. 1 by Citizens against Government Waste in efforts to limit federal spending, rated by Cato as the most fiscally responsible governor in the United States," he said. "I was the first governor to turn down stimulus funds. I won’t go through all the merit badges, but I could give you dozens of different occasions where I stood very solidly on the side of the taxpayer."

It took several dominoes to fall for Sanford to be lined up to run in this race, something Sanford also acknowledged.

"I’m not saying it was God-ordained or anything like that," Sanford said, "but a series of rather miraculous events have coincided here, that did not escape the attention of the friends who were urging me to look at this."

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Why is it the worse the offense, the more they drag God into it? Sometimes I think God probably would like to swat them like flies. It isn't just the cheating. I'm willing to bet that 90% of our elected reps are cheating, in one way or another, it's that they call on God and prate about family values and Christian virtue. If I were God, I'd be really pissed. The idea of using God's name to lie and cheat and steal is offensive. And the more they tout their Christian values, the more likely they are to be human garbage.

I always avoid people who say I should do business with them because they're Christian. In my experience, the ones that talk about it all the time are the ones least likely to be living it. I'm much more likely to be cheated by the self-proclaimed Christian than I am to be cheated by the guy that just gives me his best bid and doesn't talk about his religious beliefs.

    Reply#80 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:56 PM EST

    That is so true. Thank you for pointing that out. It's called using the Lords Name In Vain. To quote Michael Cain, "If Jesus were to return today and find out all that had been done in his name, he wouldn't be able to stop throwing up."

    I don't trust folks who wear their faith on their sleeve either. From my experience, they're overcompensating for something. ex. Mark Sanford

      #80.1 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:04 AM EST
      Reply

      Here's the thing.

      This guy cheated on his wife, the person closest to him in life. Not only did he cheat on her, but he used the office of Goveror of South Carolina to facilitate his adultery.

      Since he couldn't be trusted not to betray his own spouse...

      ...how does anyone expect ME to trust him as an elected official, now?

      Don't be daft, vote against Sanford in '14.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#81 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:18 PM EST

      Plus he was AWOL while "on the appalachian trail" and even his closest aides couldn't FIND him.

      Great leader....

      • 1 vote
      #81.1 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:17 PM EST

      Clinton changed the way the country looks at our politicians. or at least the standard that we hold them to.

        #81.2 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:20 PM EST
        Reply

        Delusional Huster statesman. What a fool.

          Reply#82 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:23 PM EST

          Hello Argentina South Carolina. I'm here for my own personal satisfaction.

          • 2 votes
          Reply#83 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:25 PM EST

          The point isn't only that Sanford cheated. He also flaked out and left the country without telling anyone while governor of the redneck republic of South Carolina, causing a mad search for him and the humiliation to his own state when he was discovered being a lorelorn American in South America, in love with a woman who did not want him.

          Get the story straight. He had a wife and children at home here. The guy is a sneak, a liar and a flake.

          • 1 vote
          Reply#84 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:26 PM EST

          Sanford is not fit to hold public office.

          So he'll fit right in with those House Republicans we have now in Congress.

          • 2 votes
          Reply#85 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:40 PM EST

          Don't act so surpised. Sanford fits right in with a lot of current SC politicians - pompous, self-righteous, bombastic, greedy, and corrupt to the core. And mark my words...if he runs, he WILL get votes. Believe it or not. What's sad is that there are good, decent men and women in the state who would break their backs to serve the people of South Carolina, but they are overshadowed by the stereotypical southern political hacks like Sanford. I don't care if Sanford discovered a cure for cancer, he is not worthy of representing the people of South Carolina. Okay. I've vented. Thanks.

          • 1 vote
          Reply#86 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:46 PM EST

          Proven liar and hypocrite. The perfect congressional candidate.

          • 1 vote
          Reply#87 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:02 PM EST

          Hahahaha....Oh, South Carolina! You've overtaken Minnesota in electing the dumbest, corruptest, back-stabbing people to be your representatives. I guess Sanford figured you didn't get screwed enough when he was your governor so he's back to give you a second helping. At least his wife was bright enough to dump his sorry ass.

          • 1 vote
          Reply#88 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:12 PM EST

          Gotta love this man for his experience. He not only knows politics, he is also an expert on sex scandals. Ought to fit right in.

            Reply#89 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:31 PM EST

            I'm very pleased that Mark Sanford has decided to run. He's the best choice to keep South Carolina's 1st District solidly conservative. That's far more important than keeping him banished for a personal mistake, an embarrassing mistake for the state, for sure, but one that he made amends for with humility and grace. I forgive him and I'm sure the people of SC have forgive him too. He had a 60% approval rating when he left so I'm sure the citizens of SC will offer him their full support for his reelection to his Congressional seat.

            • 2 votes
            Reply#90 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:38 PM EST

            Not surprised at all. SC kept him as their governor after his cheatin, adulterous, family values, hypocritical self refused to step down for being a scumbag and losing his wife. This is the state that voted overwhelmingly for Newt (talk about cheatin' scumbag hypocrite). There's a saying in North Carolina. Your IQ drops 10 points when you cross the border. Unfortunately, politically it seems SC has been bleeding into NC as of late. How far will the poison spread? Oh that's right. All the way to DC.

              Reply#91 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:48 PM EST

              Who needs "Reality TV" when you've got.... reality.

                Reply#92 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:49 PM EST

                If he wins the Republican party will forever lose any abiity to claim they are the party or moral family values.

                  Reply#93 - Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:56 PM EST

                  Not as long as he has fools like StevePhoenix (above) doling out forgiveness for his own kind. If he were a Democrat, Good God what we would have heard about that damn immoral liberal and his sinful ways. That's why I'm a Democrat, I don't have to put myself on a plastic pedestal and look like a hypocrite for being human.

                  • 1 vote
                  #93.1 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:13 AM EST

                  Your the same fool that forgive Hagel for his remarks about gays so really who's the fool now boy.

                  • 1 vote
                  #93.2 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 1:22 AM EST
                  Reply

                  Sadly, he'll probably be elected!

                    Reply#94 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:00 AM EST

                    Yes. SC went overwhelmingly for Newt Gingrich in the primaries. That's not much of a stretch to realize.

                      #94.1 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:15 AM EST
                      Reply

                      "I'm not saying it was God-ordained or anything like that," Sanford said, "but a series of rather miraculous events have coincided here, that did not escape the attention of the friends who were urging me to look at this."

                      Hmmmm, wonder what those "rather miraculous events" are??? . . . could it possibly be that this lunatic found other rich, like-minded lunatics to give him money to run for an office he doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of occupying? It just gets more and more bizarre with those GOOPers. The Democrats couldn't have asked for greater P.R. gifts -- that keep on giving by-the-way -- had they tried.

                        Reply#95 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:25 AM EST

                        They'll vote him back in just like Vitter and the Ensign got off with a slap on the wrist and Ollie North the other war crimminal has his own show on Faux Noise making lotsa ka-CHING and war crimminal Cheney hosts campaign fundraisers for Robme, writes books and gets a heart transplant over donors waiting far longer then HIM, including children but IOKWARDI!!! It'll be another "I found the lord and I had run again so all is forgiven" BS.
                        They step in heaping piles of dog crap and always come out smelling like ROSES!!

                          Reply#96 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:33 AM EST

                          Honey,.. I'm going hiking in the Appalachians !!!!

                          What's more fun than teapublican retreads, trying to make a rather pathetic comeback???

                          Oh,.. that's right,... birthers, and gun nuts..

                          Sorry...

                            Reply#97 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:38 AM EST

                            I'd like to see Anthony Weiner try to pull this but our party does have a conscience and did not cover for him but rather, along with the President and DNC Chair while the gop rabid dogs were snarling over what he did, said he what he did was "inappropriate and needed time away to get help sorting out his issues". I.E. Time to go Anthony, not other party members will pay mega bucks to try and cover up what you did eh Coburn?

                              Reply#98 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:40 AM EST

                              It's much more likely that this was ordained by Satan.

                                Reply#99 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:46 AM EST
                                semanayskDeleted

                                Maybe he could get Christine O'Donnell and Todd Atkins to be his campaign managers.

                                  Reply#101 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 2:19 AM EST

                                  Mr. Sanford: Congratulations on letting the world know that you have the biggest pair of b***s in the country and along with that huge pair you have the smallest brain in the country. Is not your hot girlfriend enough anymore? Please, South Carolina voters, throw this moron back into obscurity.

                                    Reply#102 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 2:56 AM EST

                                    This douche bag is like a turd, he keeps floating to the top. American people have such short attention spans he'll probably be elected. Such a pity.

                                      Reply#103 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:24 AM EST

                                      Mr. Sanford, by all means, please run. I am betting your candidacy will result in higher campaign spending, which will also not get you elected. The more GOP elitist money blown on your campaign means the greater chance for a good candidate elected elsewhere. And yeah, the voters haven't forgotten that you are an adulterous fool who does not believe anything your party claims to stand for.

                                        Reply#104 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:07 AM EST

                                        Amazing! Some can be slow to get the message.

                                        • 1 vote
                                        Reply#105 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:58 AM EST

                                        Yep, Anthony Weiner not getitng the message, he is thinking of running for Mayor of NYC ...and he "dealt" with minors, something Sanford never did.

                                          #105.1 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 10:26 AM EST

                                          Kurt's Comments......an obvious student of Breitbart, trying to make it appear the "something" happened when in fact nothing happened. Standard operating procedure for Conservatives / Republicans.

                                          The computer of the 17 year old girl to whom Weiner tweeted was examined by police and he made no indecent or explicit tweets.

                                          She was also interviewed and denied that there was any improper communications from Weiner.

                                            #105.2 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 11:20 AM EST

                                            I see that Johndevine remains in denial when it comes to Politically Correct Politicians, even when worse than a non-Politically Correct Politician (dealing with several minors). Thanks Johndevine for showing your hypocrisy, but very pathetic.

                                            • 1 vote
                                            #105.3 - Wed Jan 16, 2013 11:37 AM EST
                                            Reply
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