Mark Sanford drops out of presidential race

“Presidential races focus our attention to politics and have historically been the stage on which we debate where we go next as a country. If we don’t do it this year, we put that national debate off until the next presidential election cycle. I don’t believe we have five more years before inaction guarantees a day of financial reckoning,” he said in announcing his run.

The Republican faced criticism, however, from party officials in his own state, including South Carolina GOP Chairman Drew McKissick, who said in a statement that there is “no legitimate primary challenger” and that Sanford was only attempting to resurrect his political career.

Sanford, previously a rising star in the GOP who served as a member of Congress for three terms until 2019, became most known for a scandalous extramarital affair he was embroiled in 10 years ago while South Carolina’s governor.

For nearly a week in late June, he disappeared from the public eye and his whereabouts were unknown to his family and security detail. Although he told his wife he went to hike the Appalachian Trail, she and his staff lost contact with him after several days. It was later found through a series of reports that Sanford had flown to Argentina to meet with a mistress. The governor, who had been married for 20 years already, also admitted he had previous affairs with other women.

Sanford and his wife, Jenny, divorced in 2010. His fall from political grace caused him to resign as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, and state lawmakers ultimately censured Sanford in December 2009.

President Donald Trump seized upon the opportunity to embarrass the South Carolina Republican just days after Sanford announced his run for the presidency by referencing the 2009 scandal in a tweet.

[Related: ‘The Three Stooges’: Trump takes aim at GOP primary challengers Sanford, Weld, and Walsh]