By FITSNews || He’s spoken of himself in the past as Cincinnatus, the Roman dictator who gave up absolute power (twice) to return to a simple agrarian life – thus establishing the classical definition of “citizen leadership.”
But is “going back to the farm” really what S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford plans on doing when his term ends in January 2011?
“It is certainly my goal to be Cincinnatus [and] go back to the farm,” Sanford told Washington Post reporter Chris Cillizza during the summer of 2007 when asked about his post-gubernatorial plans.
Except that obviously wasn’t true. Sanford’s national ambitions, which were patently obvious to anyone with a pair of eyeballs, were eventually acknowledged by the governor in 2009 – but only after an embarrassing sex scandal nearly brought down his administration. Suddenly, the seemingly selfless sacrificing of his previously-denied presidential aspirations became a centerpiece of Sanford’s survival strategy – a key component of his broader “walk humbly” approach to governing and public relations.
“My political career is over,” Sanford remarked last August.
But is it over?
Sources close to the governor tell FITS “absolutely not.” And there’s some reason to believe that their predictions for his political future will come true. After all, Sanford still has a huge campaign war chest at his disposal. And he still enjoys surprisingly high polling numbers among Republican voters – in an overwhelmingly “Republican” state.
That means if Sanford is able to win a statewide Republican primary (which at this point he appears reasonably well-positioned to do against a generic opponent), then he would immediately become the favorite in a general election – baggage and all.
Plus, his allies say, Sanford has a winning message – the marked contrast between his personal failing and the fact that he “never wavered” from his commitment to the taxpayer. Obviously that last point is debatable (as it would be with anyone who uses public funds to facilitate a private rendezvous), but the fact that we are debating it at all goes to the larger question … why would Sanford invest so much time and energy reinforcing this as a central theme of his image reclamation efforts if he didn’t plan on mounting another bid for public office at some point?
Does he really just care that much about his legacy? Or is there a more practical purpose at work?
At this point, should he choose to run for office again the most likely option for Sanford would be a bid for the U.S. Senate in 2014 – which would give him additional time to rehabilitate his public image. The Senate – with all of its esoteric deliberation – fits Sanford like a glove, his supporters say.
Of course, a Senate bid would put Sanford at odds with his former chief of staff Tom Davis, who is reportedly eying a primary challenge against U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in 2014, along with a host of other Republicans who would no doubt jump into the mix were Graham to announce that he would not seek a third six-year term.
Another possibility? The U.S Senate race in 2016 – which is when fiscal conservatives will be forced to find a suitable replacement for U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, who has said that the six-year term he is running for this year would be his last.
So … what do you think?
Will Sanford run again? And if so, for what?
Be sure to cast your vote in our poll and then post your thoughts in our comments section below …
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By You Said What? July 6, 2010 at 8:55 am
The only thing he should do is run away…
By yarrrr July 6, 2010 at 8:59 am
I didn’t pick anything because I don’t care… he could probably run for the Senate in 2014 or 2016… but if he is seriously contemplating a 2012 bid for the presidency(which is the vibe I’m getting off of two ‘events’) then someone needs to smack the crap out of him…
By Toyota Kawaski July 6, 2010 at 9:07 am
Run the hell out of this state
By Mark Fluellen July 6, 2010 at 9:10 am
Run Forrest run.. I mean run Mark run, and don’t stop until you get to South America.
By colleen July 6, 2010 at 9:40 am
mmmm, that may depend on which woman he will be with in 2014 and or 2016. JS will most likely be out for sure and there will be time enough for MBC to be accepted by the South Carolinians.
By Let's Be Honest July 6, 2010 at 9:52 am
If he’s going to seek a party nomination, why not be honest and seek the Libertarian Party’s nomination for whatever office he seeks? This guy is the ultimate RINO!
By Cooter Brown July 6, 2010 at 9:56 am
I wuz thinkin’ dawg catcher or maybee Anderson citie council wuld bee a gud fit, altho I rekon we kuld do no werss dan Linsissy Gram if’n Mista Sanferd ran fer dat seat. I jest dont knows ’bout Sanferd no mo…
By Duck Snorts July 6, 2010 at 10:07 am
subtract one from the Senate choice..my finger slipped, I meant to vote for Alvin.. ;)
By He'd be better then Lindsey July 6, 2010 at 10:08 am
When picking the lesser of two evils, him or Lindsey, I’d say Sanford is the lesser.
It’s like picking your method of execution…but if you have to pick you have to pick.
By RH July 6, 2010 at 10:09 am
I’d vote for Sandford in a heartbeat to replace Graham. The Senate is a perfect fit for Sanford.
By Jeannie July 6, 2010 at 10:51 am
It all depends on whether he has Jenny Sanford’s endorsement. Even 6 years from now people will still remember what he did and how he did it – if not the press certainly will remind voters. His mistake was paying off the ethics charges instead of fighting to clear his name. That in people’s minds is an admission of guilt. It also depends if he’s with that other woman – 1. Either people will sympathize that it was “true love” and she’s accepted, 2. People will not accept this lack of virtues woman who knowingly had a relationship w/a married man 3. He’s with someone else who’s totally respectable. Look at Guiliani – although he is popular people do not forget what he did to his wife, same for Gingrich and McCain (even though it was decades ago media still dug it all up). People may say that personal lives do not affect the votes, in the end if there are similarly ranked choices, it will affect the voter’s choice.
By Billy W. July 6, 2010 at 11:31 am
Not sure what polls sic is looking at….he’s more unpopular than andre!
By Mike Traynor July 6, 2010 at 12:16 pm
God, I hope Sanford just goes away.
By shiya July 6, 2010 at 12:24 pm
There is some rumor in the State’s comments section that Niki Haley may offer him some kind of a public commission role. Apparently, she has never denied it when questioned.
By CNSYD July 6, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Sanfraud needs to get together with Damon Evans so they decide what to do for the rest of their lives.
By Diana July 6, 2010 at 12:30 pm
He has the ego to go for the senate race – it will depend on whether people remember what he did – how he did it and with who that will make the difference – he doesn’t “get it now” nor will he ever! Also anyone I talk to will not, will not accept the Argentine bimbo!! If he thinks he can stuff that down our throats he’s got another thought coming-
By Bobby July 6, 2010 at 12:37 pm
i feel like he’d wait until 2016. that’d give folks time to forget about his scandals/baggage. plus, he and lindsey graham are friends. to me, that means he wouldn’t run against him. be cynical if you’d like, but i think he wouldn’t.
he couldn’t beat graham, though.
By South Of The Border Retail July 6, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Mark Sanford should …
… NOT run for public office again
… run for U.S. Senate in 2014 or 2016
… run for some other office
…. run to Argetina as fast as he can
…. become a Taco Bell Server
…. get a sex change
…. give his degree back to Furman and demand a refund
….Claim the Republican Party made him do it
….become a political adviser to this site
….married a Republican prevert in a San Francisco Bath House
…. have his balls cut off and become a Nun in Poland
By Huhhh??? July 6, 2010 at 1:11 pm
South Carolina deserves Mark Sanford. A significant portion of the Republic Party still admire him for his positions. They do not care that he accomplished virtually none of his goals due to his inability to do anything but scream and whine and shake his little fist in the faces of the other members of his party until they were totally disgusted with him.
In other words, sound bites mean more to members of the SC Republic Party than accomplishment. Despite the fact this country was born out of compromise that led to great accomplishment.
By Let's Be Honest July 6, 2010 at 1:47 pm
It doesn’t matter who is AD at UGA — we will still scortch Clempson and the Lamecocks anytime we play them in football. 30-0! Still love it!
By Catherine July 6, 2010 at 2:25 pm
I hear he has bought land in Argentina. From two sources now.
I also think that if he is deluded enough to run for another public office in South Carolina, that South Carolinians are stoopid enough to probably vote him in for something. 60%+ still think he is “okay”.
That is apparently the type of “leader” one gets when one’s state is vying with Mississippi for the “Stupidest State In The Nation”.
Go for it Marky-Mark
SC deserves you!
By eggaday July 6, 2010 at 2:27 pm
sanfraud ain’t gonna run for nothing. he isn’t gonna be eligible.
there is still more to tell about this Luv Gov and his shenanigans.
he’s still seeing Maria frequently.
By lars July 6, 2010 at 3:01 pm
Mr. Alvin Greene has a more promising future in South Carolina politics than LuvGuv.
Perhaps the LuvGuv should take a cue from Beasley and try his hand at higher education.
I’m sure Harvard will appreciate his literary erudition.
By Cancerman July 6, 2010 at 3:22 pm
This prick needs to jump off a cliff!!!
By ArchieB July 6, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Sanford has publicly — and frequently — discussed his passion for getting up at 3 am to “mount his tractor” and “plow the soil.” In the dark. By the headlights of his tractor. Not planting or harvesting. Simply “working the soil” (his language) and “working up a good sweat” (his language).
He should indeed “return to the farm” and stay there. Permanently.
By colleen July 6, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Catherine-You wrote “I hear he has bought land in Argentina”. If he did he would have to pay cash because they do not have mortgage deals in that country. How can he transfer large sum of money out of here and not have it reported?
By George July 6, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Sanford can run for governor in Argentina. His first lady already lives there.
By C20H26N2O July 6, 2010 at 4:29 pm
I hear the same old compliants about Sanford. Couldn’t get anything acomplished – couldn’t get along with anyone – which is another way of saying – He didn’t cut any bad deals. You either stand for something or you stand for nothing. I didn’t vote for a deal-broker. I don’t want a deal-broker this time either. So to those of you who didn’t get any of the pork that YOU wanted passed while Sanford was governor, get ready to whine again. I got what I voted for.
By Elle July 6, 2010 at 4:51 pm
run for another political position with an Argentine sex playgirl slash lover that is Maria Belen Chapur as strategist? Might work on Mark Sanford knowing how the phrase Sex, Lies, and what haves’ that goes on in Capitol Hill. Hmmm imagine those themed naughty parties now.
By SubZeroIQ July 6, 2010 at 5:31 pm
FITS:
Sanford is YOUR past, not OUR future.
Your attempts to revive Sanford will work just about as well as your attempts for bring Haley down.
Remember? Before he hiked the Appalachian trail, he was interviewed on national TV about his presidential ambitions and TOTALLY bombed.
Enough of Senate in 2014 or 2016! Think of Attorney General in 2010!
By Gelda July 6, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Legacy by Gelda Goldblatz
How novel to get his bird caught in the thorns while his hussy tantalizes with sexual details.
Can I diddle you if I get your son a job? How about citizenship?
My slack-jawed, broken-hearted minor children won’t mind sharing me!
I’ve snowed my loyal wife despite my disconnection from her being.
Posturing Braggart!
But my promiscuous miss gives the best bliss! My soulmate, my love! BARF
Our mutual ego inflation and pleasure trumps all. Too bad South Carolina…find your own.
Defect from reality, constancy, morality, integrity. But I’ve always been so dutiful (doody-full?) and good. I’m entitled…whine.
However good the message, can you trust any message from this manipulative, deluded messenger?
God reconcile his children that their love of this man reflects not on their own self-worth.
Rally around this fraud? Unlikely. No.
By conservative republican July 6, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Mark should move to Charleston and run against Rino Glen McConnell AND WIN!
By SnakeMD July 6, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Mark Sanford is an intellectual goofball. He lives his life all on a stage. He is merely a player–to quote Shakespeare. He would be better off to get him a professorship at some private college where he could publish his book which would have a shelf-life of 5 days. It would mainly be peddled on the library circuit, so other intellectual nabobs could write praise for it. His plow share is a John Deere backhoe. He really believes he is a gentleman farmer. He loves to spread his philosophy at the Feed and Seed to the masses who huddled around the drink box. All he needs to do is find him some old time religion and he would make one hell of preacher. Saint Mark Carolineaus.
By Fox Mulder July 6, 2010 at 9:48 pm
You dare speak the name of the one that not be spoken!!! Oh by the way your scam worked Will you gave Nikki the national attention she needed cocksucker!!!!
By Billy Bob July 6, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Sanfraud should take his sorry POS ass back to Florida from whence he came!!
By Mrs. Ethel Krabitz July 7, 2010 at 4:52 am
the only running Mark Sanford should do is to the nearest spa for deep facial laser resurfacing.
that man is looking older than Methusulah.
hey nice of you to test the waters for him though, FITS. you on his payroll still along with Nikki’s?
oh, happy day when South Carolina is emancipated from this self-absorbed, foolish douchecanoe.
Not just your run of the mill douche. A total douche! This douche will kill you with his non stop douche baggery. Avoid the douche Canoe at all costs.
By Mrs. Ethel Krabitz July 7, 2010 at 4:59 am
After consulting the Urban Dictionary, i now realize that “douchecanoe” is simply too mild a descriptor for Mark Sanford.
He is, in fact, a DOUCHE CANNON.
douche cannon:
a person who is far more douchebaggedy than your everday douche bag. That word is insufficient, which warrants the use of douche cannon, when this person is off the charts in douchebaggedness scale, and you would readily render them infertile using acid on their genitalia.
In conclusion, this is the strongest level of douchebaggery, use it wisely for its conotations are far more powerfull than calling someone a fag, or retard, or shitbrick.
By Old Bike Dude July 7, 2010 at 7:14 am
d. Fuck off and die
By eggaday July 7, 2010 at 7:30 am
sanfraud dug a great big hole already. the state can’t afford any more holes dug per markie mark sanfraud
By Confederati July 7, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Cooter- You endorsed Leighton Lord and Mick Zais, and now you turn on Sanford. What about your whole it’s-ok-if-he’s-gay-as-long-as-he-isn’t-manipulated thing? At the least, Sanford is light years better than any open or closet GOP office-holder. He’s only a hair short of Ron Paul. Zais is not for school choice. Lord is corrupt. He wanted to lay off a bunch of prosecutors. Ok, so maybe Asst Atty Gens are a little bureaucrat-ish, but they’re the closest thing to good guys that you’ll find in state gov’t (pure law enforcement). Lord was very clear, however, that he did not want to cut the budget. He wanted to expand it. Sure, he was going to cut criminal cases, which the SC Constitution actually says is the duty of the Atty Gen, but… He adamantly advocated vast expansion of civil cases. And the real icing on the cake: He openly defended farming them out (via the state budget) to his own law firm Nelson Pruitt. …The definition of corrupt. The Quinns have been throwing daggers into Sanford’s back since Sanford endorsed Ryberg against little Rick in the ’06 primary for Sec of Treasury. I know Chris Sullivan is a bigwig in the SCV, but—and I mean this earnestly—he is a traitor who brags that he is the one who struck the “flag deal” (not to mention that he is one of Quinndom’s closet queens). Do not trust what Quinn people say.
By SnakeMD July 7, 2010 at 10:25 pm
————-> CONFEDERATI
Since when does Leighton Lord work for “Nelson Pruitt” ? There is no such law firm by that name. You are confused. So, why should I bother to check the rest of your statements? More than a typo here. You shoot wildly, my friend. Tighten your grip and pull the trigger slowly.
By Confederati July 8, 2010 at 8:00 pm
SnakeMD- You look pretty guilty in all of this. I was just referring to what Leighton himself was openly advocating and discussing in town hall meetings during his campaign. I didn’t know there was more to the story, as your comments seem to indicate. I was just making a point to my friend Cooter. Yes, I meant Nexsen Pruet, and here’s Leighton’s Connecticut Yankee profile: http://www.nexsenpruet.com/attorneys-120.html. Oops, I guess he claims he’s from Delaware—but he sure looks a lot like that douche Rhode Island lawyer that didn’t make it passed the first night on the Bachelorette. Dan Quayle used to have that look too, until he stopped using his middle name (Danforth). Au revior Sir So-Spoiled-I-Should-Be-Elected-To-Something Lord.
By Confederati July 8, 2010 at 8:16 pm
I’m guessing SnakeMD is a lawyer for Nexson Pruet who was drooling over some pet potential civil suit.
By SnakeMD July 9, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Confederati, you can call me anything you want, but I ain’t no esquire. I got all my learning at a place called, Quantico. You don’t have to add or guess at anything I say. I shoot straight and true and will call you only on the facts. However, I am guilty of occasional double entendre. You are dead on with your last sentence about Sir Lord. And as far as drooling, I only drool over two things. Civil suits is not one of them.