Mark Sanford Launches New Congressional Bid Amid Resurfaced Scandal Claims
Mark Sanford, the former South Carolina governor and congressman, has officially filed paperwork to mount a political comeback, seeking the Charleston-area First Congressional District seat he previously held. This move marks another chapter in the turbulent career of the Republican figure, who once drew early attention as a potential presidential contender before his trajectory was derailed by scandal.
A Political Career Marred by Controversy
Sanford built a long political career, serving in Congress and later as governor of South Carolina. However, in 2009, his prospects unraveled following a highly publicized extramarital affair, though he managed to stay in office through the end of his term. He later staged a partial comeback by returning to Congress, but lost the seat in 2018. An unsuccessful presidential primary challenge in 2019 against then-President Donald Trump seemed to mark the end of his political resurgence, until this latest filing.
The district is currently represented by Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who is running for governor this year and is not seeking re-election to Washington. Sanford enters as a last-minute entrant into a crowded primary field, which currently includes at least eight other Republicans according to Ballotpedia. Notable candidates include Representative Mark Smith, the only state-level legislator in the race, and county council members Jay Byars, Logan Cunningham, and Jenny Costa Honeycutt.
Allegations of an Affair with Journalist Olivia Nuzzi
Outside of his well-known cheating scandal, Sanford has also been reportedly linked to disgraced journalist Olivia Nuzzi. Ryan Lizza, a former Politico journalist and Nuzzi's ex-fiancé, claimed in a scathing Substack post that she was 'sleeping with' former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford years before her 'digital affair' with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Lizza alleged in a piece titled 'Part 1: How I Found Out', published on his outlet Telos News, that he discovered a love note Nuzzi had written to 'a famous politician, 32 years older than Olivia, and well-known for a sex scandal.' This politician was not RFK Jr., but allegedly Sanford, whom Nuzzi had profiled for New York Magazine when he launched his long-shot 2020 presidential bid.
In a lurid passage shared by Lizza, Nuzzi allegedly wrote: 'If I swallowed every drop of water from the tower above your house, I would still thirst for you.' Describing his on-off relationship with Nuzzi as 'turbulent', Lizza said they fell in love when he extricated her from a 'strings attached' partnership with former MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann, 66.
Details of the Alleged Relationship
Lizza recalled discovering the note after it scattered from her backpack. After looking through further pages, he said: 'My heart stopped when I realized who he was.' The former Washington correspondent for Politico described feeling devastated over 'Olivia's betrayal' and worried it would ruin a book they were writing together about the 2020 presidential campaign.
He wrote that Nuzzi told him she became 'infatuated' with Sanford after covering him for New York Magazine, eventually sending him 'increasingly risqué pictures and texts' and even 'secretly followed him on the campaign trail.' Lizza then alleges that Nuzzi and Sanford 'consummated' their relationship at the ex-governor's home 'one night after she went dark on me and made up a story about how she was dealing with a crisis concerning her sick mother.'
Lizza concluded his bombshell post by revealing he called his agent: 'We have a big problem. Olivia is sleeping with Mark Sanford.' Sanford's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Mail.
The Upcoming Primary and Political Implications
Nuzzi attempted to ease back into public life last fall to promote her tell-all book, American Canto, a year after her emotional dalliance with Trump’s health secretary. However, her promotion tour took a turn when Lizza shared his allegations. The primary for the congressional seat is set for June 9th, with a runoff planned for two weeks later on June 23rd, adding pressure to Sanford's comeback bid as these scandalous claims resurface.
This development underscores the challenges Sanford faces in his political return, blending past controversies with current ambitions in a highly competitive Republican field. As voters weigh his experience against his checkered history, the outcome could hinge on how these allegations impact public perception in the lead-up to the primary.
