WASHINGTON — Infamous adulterer former South Carolina Rep. Mark Sanford is again on the path… and it isn’t the Appalachian Path.
The disgraced Republican pol launched his congressional comeback Tuesday — on the identical day alleged intercourse pests Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales resigned from Congress in shame.
Sanford, 65, is notorious for telling his staffers in June 2009 that he was occurring an tour on the Appalachian Path, when in actuality he trekked right down to Argentina to have an affair together with his mistress, Maria Belén Chapur.
On the time, Sanford was serving as governor of South Carolina and went for shut to 6 days with out answering calls from his workers — all whereas his household had no concept the place he was, together with on Father’s Day.
However an area reporter caught him on the airport on his return journey, and Sanford publicly copped to the extramarital affair.
Sanford additionally admitted he “crossed the strains” with different ladies throughout his marriage.
He then served out his time period and later served in Congress from 2013 to 2019, earlier than his failed 2020 presidential bid.
Late final 12 months, Sanford was thrust into the nationwide highlight once more after Olivia Nuzzi’s ex-fiancé, Ryan Lizza, alleged that the two slept collectively in 2020. Sanford is 32 years older than Nuzzi, 33.
On Tuesday, with a leafy background that some chided bore a resemblance to components of the Appalachian Path, Sanford kicked off his congressional bid — hoping that voters have shorter recollections than his “climbing journey.”
“I’m Mark Sanford. I’m a dad. I’m a soon-to-be grandfather,” Sanford stated. “I’m a businessman who received concerned in politics years in the past and have become each Gov. of S.C. & Congressman for the Lowcountry.
“I’m working for Congress as a result of I consider our nation is at a monetary tipping level.”
The marketing campaign launch video was dropped simply hours after Swalwell and Gonzales each resigned from Congress over accusations that that they had or pursued intercourse with subordinates.
Swalwell can be going through a rape accusation and has denied the allegations.
Each males had been going through the specter of expulsion as a consequence of their sickening alleged conduct.
Rumors had been swirling for days that Sanford was plotting a comeback bid for his outdated congressional seat in South Carolina’s 1st District, held by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who’s vying for governor.
However netizens had been blown away by the timing of Sanford’s marketing campaign launch, given the continued reckoning in Congress. Sanford’s X account had been dormant since 2021.
“Dude noticed Swalwell and Gonzalez resigning and thought, ‘There’s a scarcity of skeezy creeps in Congress, now’s my likelihood,’” X person Varad Mehta jabbed.
“[H]e remains to be climbing the appalachian path,” one other person chided.
“[Y]ou actually couldn’t have picked a worse time,” X person Jarvis snipped.
“There’s a possibility right here for a improbable candidate profile in Self-importance Truthful, and I do know simply the particular person to jot down it,” the Nationwide Evaluate’s Jeff Blehar needled.
Nuzzi briefly joined Self-importance Truthful as its West Coast Editor, however parted methods late final 12 months.
“[L]ove that this man is main with the household man angle,” Simply the Information’ Jerry Dunleavy swiped.
South Carolina’s major is slated for June 9.
Sanford is going through off towards a really crowded area with a couple of dozen candidates within the Republican major.
