THE “COMEBACK SOUL-MATE” IS IN TROUBLE … AGAIN
|| By FITSNEWS || It’s been a little more than a year-and-a-half since former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford – a.k.a. the “Luv Gov” – pulled off his remarkable political comeback by winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives. And it’s been more than six months since The New York Times magazine published a sprawling piece chronicling his unlikely political rehabilitation.
“He has managed something that few people have: returning to public office after an embarrassing, nationally televised — Twitterized and blogged — sex scandal,” the Times’ chief political correspondent Jim Rutenberg wrote.
Sanford was back on top … the “Comeback Soul-mate.”
After a brutal “Republican” primary in 2013, the scandal-scarred former chief executive ran unopposed in the 2014 GOP primary for his U.S. House seat. Not even a token challenger filed against him, and no Democrat filed against him in the general election.
Sanford was also in the process of “getting the band back together” – his term for making another run at higher office.
Then something happened … well, more to the point “Mark Sanford happened.” And then he happened again. And now again … a third time.
What do we mean, exactly?
Well, there were three things Mark Sanford absolutely couldn’t afford to do if he wanted to keep his comeback momentum going. In no particular order, they were …
1) Do something to remind people of his disastrous personal life. (CHECK).
2) Get busted in a pay-to-play scandal. (CHECK).
3) Create an opening on his right flank by alienating conservatives …
Yeah … CHECK.
In case you missed it, Mark Sanford – the guy who once challenged Ron Paul for the title of “most conservative lawmaker”- cast his vote this week for the renomination of U.S. Speaker John Boehner, one of the most liberal, ethically compromised GOP leaders ever.
You read that right … the guy who at one point in his political career couldn’t cut government deeply enough has now lent his limited government imprimatur to the biggest ‘big government’ Republican of all-time. A guy GOP voters have overwhelmingly given up on … and rightfully so.
This was a “gut check” vote, as we noted, and Sanford (shocker) came up lacking in guts.
What, exactly, did this “conservative” icon think he was accomplishing with this sellout? And more to the point … what did he get to sell out?
We’re not sure … but you better believe we’ll be digging for answers. And we expect to find something, too, because the political calculus on this decision simply doesn’t compute.
Sanford would appear to have nothing to gain by selling out. He has to know the “Republican” establishment is never going to accept him. Hell, the national GOP pulled the plug on supporting his 2013 bid – and just last month Boehner and company denied him the committee assignment he coveted. Basically, no one in the U.S. Congress had more justification for opposing the “Republican” establishment than Mark Sanford … yet he still gave its leader a big fat kiss on the lips.
Again … what gives?
Sanford’s decision to support Boehner is big deal in any context. He’s already got little to no backing among centrist “Republicans,” meaning the pro-free market, pro-liberty wing of the party (all of whom loathe Boehner) is where he must go to receive the majority of his support.
“How is he getting reelected if he votes for Boehner with the business community after him, and the Tea Party demanding a ‘no’ vote on the Speaker?” one national editor asked us. “Just what is Sanford‘s pathway to re-election?”
That’s a damn good question …
In fact one libertarian-leaning voter answered if for us today.
“I’m fed up with ‘Scamford,'” he texted us.
But Sanford’s ideological inconsistency – and its potential impact on his electability – isn’t his only problem. The fallout from this poor political choice is compounded by his chronic narcissism. Seriously … does anyone still believe Sanford’s “engagement” to former lover Maria Belen Chapur was anything other than a prop for his political comeback?
Because if so … that’s cute. Really, really cute.
Also, if Sanford spent 2,400 words explaining his latest personal drama to us … we wonder: How many words will it take to reconcile his shameful betrayal of taxpayers?
Beyond all that, there’s the taint of self-interest courtesy of Sanford’s quarter million dollar payout from controversial lender Tree.com.
What did he do for that money? That’s another damn good question …
Mark Sanford may very well win another term in the U.S. House in 2016: After all, he’s an exceptional fundraiser and an excellent retail politician. And while there are plenty of rumblings about credible challengers for his seat, no one has stepped forward at this point and said “I’m taking this guy on.”
Make no mistake, though: Sanford is doing everything within his power to lose his seat. Which after his vote for Boehner would be just fine with us …
***
68 comments
Are you going to write one of these stupid articles on every member of our congressional delegation? Sanford is a survivor, Boehner was going to win so Sanford took the pragmatic approach and supported the inevitable winner. The period that it was the right decision is playing out now as Boehner and his cronies have their “night of the long knives” and retaliate against the non-conformists.
We need a new Speaker but it wasn’t in the cards, a smart player knows when to hold, when to fold and when to go with the flow.
Yes, four victims of the knife so far, Webster, Nugent, Huelskamp and Weber.
You dumb fuckers couldn’t defeat four Republican house members in SC if they campaigned with David Duke, 24/7 ,on the campaign trail. LOSERS.
The SCDP is as powerful and competent as Gitmo detainees.
The dumb fuckers would be the SC voters who would vote for anyone campaigning with David Duke – and thus live up to the stereotype of a bunch of ignorant, inbred bigots that a large portion of the country thinks resides here.
‘ignorant,inbred bigots’? Sir this thread ain’t about homosexuals!!!
Wash your filthy mouth out with soap!!!
feel free to take “your brains,hat,ass,and overcoat” back to Ohio!!!
Exactly…where they play real football.
Unnecessary and horrible grammar. Many of your southern guys and gals are Yankees who actually work and contribute in large part to taxes and jobs brought here.
But will the mofo yoho go-go?
don’t know-know….
Yoho will bet a set on the sub-committee for the study of bull balls. Gohmert wil get the sub-committee for Capital toilets, and Duncan, well, he’s going to get the sub-committee to study the composition of horse crap.
Why is a American hating socialist like you worried about Republican committee assignments?
ALERT!!! WE ARE IN CHARGE NOW!!!DEMOCRATS CAN GO THE FUCK HOME!!!! LMAO!!!
Rocky on a suicide watch cause DEms in congress are reduced to picking up doughnuts and coffee for a couple of decades!!!
Sorry, as long as the POTUS is not a Republican, you are not totally in charge.
Sure they are, All Obama can do is illegally use E/O’s and then we impeach him or he vetos legislation on oil and jobs and we elect 60 senators in 2016 with a pub President.
Life is GOOD!!!
Colonel you been watching too many war movies.
Sanford had nothing to lose. He does not have, and never will have a significant position of authority in DC. Everyone knows he is a gadfly ideologue and a very loose cannon. He will never achieve a position of status in Congress, he will merely be a seat warmer.
He has built a career of standing on ‘principle’, pea-brain principles, but principles. There is no reason he couldn’t have done the same this time.
If so called ‘conservatives’ can’t even muster 30 votes in the house, the GOP ‘establishment’ has NOTHING to worry about.
That coming from the self-proclaimed Fits election predictor that MISSED EVERY election in November. Fucking MISSED every one from Kansas to Colorado to South Carolina. I had political ‘friends’ that read your daily predictions and they just laughed.
What a joke.
I didn’t make a ‘prediction’ above, I simple stated my opinion. I guess you can’t tell the difference.
As for my predictions, YOU predicted Michelle Bachman, Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum would EACH win the GOP nomination in 2012. I probably missed someone too. You also predicted that Romney would win easily and the GOP would win the Senate in 2012. So you have NO room to talk.
Not me clown. I did NOT post on FITS in 2012.
How could you even remotely defend that military duty shirking SOB?????
I really don’t give a rat’s ass about the Speaker of the House BS but Sanford is not fit to be anything but using his family money and ataying ‘down on the farm”
Fuck that shirking SOB on so many levels is what I say
Fuck him,fuck him,fuck him,fuck him (and the pick-up truck he used as a prop) yesterday,today and tomorrow.
Same way you defend that ‘closet’ muslim, American hating pResident that is occupying the wHite house.
First Amendment CLOWN!!! Go wash the fire truck for 12th time in your 24 hour shift and clean the dishes.
Cue the inevitable straw man.
Now, why not answer the question.
Excellent vocabulary – way to make a point. Wow!
” a smart player” edit note:remove the smart part capitalize the player part
Are you seriously pretending to be smart?
Et tu, Brute?
Nancy Pelosi had the second highest number of votes for Speaker of the House with 164 votes to Boehner’s 216. Number three was Daniel Webster R-FL with 12 votes. Does anyone here seriously think bringing that figure to 13 would have made a difference? Besides, the current Tea Party favorite from SC, Trey Gowdy, (though waylayed by bad weather) said he planned to vote for Boehner as well; but I don’t hear the conservative masses, or the Fits staff, grumbling about that.
More like, “Who’s your dope man?”
LMAO, II !! You can’t make this stuff up……actually Sic can. And does.
Pragmatism is an effective life preserver even if donned late. You should try it, Sic.
Great advice.Sanford is the smartest SOB in SC. His defeat of Elizabeth Colbert Busch was ‘textbook’ and should be required reading by EVERY candidate running against the evil national Democrat party and the Republican establishment.
Keep fighting Mark.I can assure the GOP won’t turn their back on you next time.
The GOP most certainly will turn their backs on him again! He keeps reminding them why they did in the first place.
I would respect him more if he admitted he caved for job security so he could pay tuitions, but I get he also waffles on that task too.
So he has alienated a loving, supportive former wife, kids, family, friends, mistresses, erzat fiancee, and now his constituency…. Way to go, MS!
Are you Elizabeth Colbert Busch or FITS? :-)
The average voter is no smarter than a abused trailer wife.
*an
Fighting what, exactly? Seems like there’s no fight in him at all.
I’m sure there was a lot of fight in him at divorce court.
Right now a homo in SC like yourself doesn’t have to worry about that, do they-divorce court I mean? :-)
Translation?
and you sir/miss are why IQ test should be required before one is allowed to vote in this country.
Whoever wrote this was suffering from a bad case of hysteria.
Get a grip. Did you really think the Libertarian Yoho would get elected? Or, hoping for Gohmert…who must make the Baylor Law School alumni cringe every time he opens his mouth?
It may actually be a sign of movement towards maturity for Mark Sanford to do anything that is NOT meaningless political gesture.
His sell out keeps the GOP Congressional Committee from funding a primary opponent, which of course is the only way he could lose his seat.
You are as stupid as Buz,Rocky and vicupstate combined.The Dems out spent Sanford 10-1 (ECB) and the GOP cut his money off and he still won.
Reread his post dumbass, he was talking about a PRIMARY opponent.
You really are stupid, aren’t you. GOP could support a primary challenge and it still wouldn’t matter.
He’s thinking ‘who cares’. The idiots who elected me won’t remember this come election time. I’ll just pretend to be religious or conservative or scare them with whatever is happening at the time.
Exactly – See Newt Gingrich for an example. Cheating whore dog, financial schemer and teamed up with Pelosi on climate change wins the SC primary.
He won SC primary IMO b/c he had a great campaign manager. That simply and yes, I voted for him. We had a lousy lot last election.
I was NEVER under the misconception that he did think!
He has proven to be a self promoting, self serving POS, just like his adulterous, self serving, self centered brethren:
Richard Eckstrom
Bob Peeler
Thomas Ravenel
They all think with the little head only! Proven by their own actions!
Is there anyone you do like and day nice thongs about?
The “other idiots” would have remembered a vote for Gohmert or Yoho.
If only they were running….lol
You do realize in the South one must pretend religion, by attending some church or proclaiming some m and of faith. For all you that buy it, just remember, it is my opinion that many use religion as a crutch to commit their crimes. I prefer someone not sitting on a religious perch, but having said that, if I believed in your god, I’d think he forgives. A former “religious” person. Enough with calling people out for religious beliefs. Don’t throw rocks when you live in a glass house.
The real story here is sic(k) willie attacking those who voted with the majority to support Boehner. That screams the question:
So, who is paying sic(k) willie to support the handful of Republicrat wackos who refused to support Boehner?
Our Funding Editor finds it surprisingly refreshing that Markie-Mark Sanfraud and Tom-Tommie Davis voted to support Boehner.
sic(k) willie has shown over and over and over that he is nothing but a paid voucher slut for Howie the Voucher Clown.
So, when the sic(k) one is outraged like this, we can only wonder: Who is paying him to be outraged?
BIN News Editorial Staff
The gist: “…yada, yada, yada…. . “If fighting a battle you can’t win dissipates your cause’s strength, most would say you would be wise to fight on ground where you can win and that is what I plan to do.” “…yada, yada, yada…”
But will anyone be listening?
Riddle me this: How is Obamacare like Mark Sanford?
Both depend on the stupidity of the American voter. Though the latter is more likely to prove than the former.
Did Chapur take that picture in EuroDisney?
Guess she got the last laugh…
Have you completely forgotten what state we’re in? Sanford proved long ago that he could drop his knickers, shit on the State House steps & still get reelected. — gawd, what a waste of cyberspace this is.
The worst thing Sanford could possibly do would be whatever fitsnews advised him to do.
He’s thinking – “let’s make SC’s ignorance work *for* me!”
Fits,
I notice each one of these little attacks on individual Republicans is only drawing a smattering of comments.
I suggest that you run an article on whatever the NAACP is up to.That will draw ALL the “Usual Suspects” onto one thread and the hate and venom can flow freely!
Or articles on gay marriage or legalizing drugs. They are always the most popular on FITS.
Those subjects bring comments from every pervert,homo,pedophile and dope smoking criminal from SC to San Francisco via Colorado.
So, Sandi?
The only way he could slide lower would be to initiate a clandestine relationship with Nikki Haley and, in a drunken rage, beat the crap out of her. ..followed by a blow-by-blow tell all book.
would these be blow jobs?
“He’s already got little to no backing among centrist “Republicans,” is that what the intelligent voters of the low country are now called “centrist”? I was thinking more like “Off-Centrist” would be a better term for them. Speaking of crazy low country nuts, How is our favorite French Huguenot doing these days?
The biggest asshole of them all………..don’t blame me ; I did not vote for him.
Sanford, Haley, T-Rav, all greedy little narcissists? Say it ain’t so!
Bootstraps and limited government for thee, but not for me!