Joel Mowbray at RealClearPolitics reports that his former boss, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, is being encouraged to look at entering the 2008 Republican presidential primary race.
Sanford, a former congressman as well, has a penchant for angering those within his own political ranks due to his rigid adherence to principle, especially when it comes to being stingy regarding government spending – where he has always walked it as well as he talks it. His entry into the race would certainly put a focus on fiscal matters.
December 21st, 2006 at 1:09 pm
Sanford’s a McCain guy. Why would he enter the race against him? This strikes me as a ploy to encourage speculation and raise Sanford’s national profile a little.
December 21st, 2006 at 2:07 pm
By my count that makes 15 real or potential candidates for the GOP nomination (the list to the left, plus Keeting, Gilmore, and now Sanford), not counting those who already withdrew (Allen, Frist). The list of people NOT running might soon be shorter. In fact we could do a power ranking on the likeliest not to run.
December 21st, 2006 at 2:58 pm
If Sanford did run, that would throw off the prestige of winning the SC primary, since it would likely be a favorite son deal – much like Iowa is doing for the Dems. That would certainly shake up the primaries.
December 21st, 2006 at 3:32 pm
If he’s a McCain guy, then perhaps he has his eyes set on VPOTUS.
December 21st, 2006 at 3:39 pm
You right about that. In a weird way it helps Romney and Rudy because then they because it puts less presure on them to move to the right on social issue, then can go on Michigan.
December 21st, 2006 at 4:13 pm
Patrick,
The “favorite son” argument works in theory, but look at Vilsack’s numbers in the most recent Iowa poll. He came in fourth with a mere 9%. It’s only a matter of time before he drops out, if you can’t win your home state in the first primary than you’re dead. But regarding Sanford, him entering the race would hurt McCain (who is the current SC frontrunner) and that’s why I think it’s extremely unlikely that Sanford gets in unless there was some kind of split between him and McCain, but they campaigned together as recently as last month.
Methepeople,
Nah, Sanford isn’t a good VP fit for McCain just like Lindsey Graham isn’t either. McCain’s already doing very well in SC and the South in general, he needs a Northern governor (probably Pawlenty) to help him be even more competitive in the dark blue north/northeast. Sanford would actually be a really good fit for Giuliani though. My guess is that if McCain wins the presidency, Sanford will get a nice cabinet appointment.
December 21st, 2006 at 4:16 pm
Is the reason folks are pushing for Mark Sanford perhaps because he has actually done some things about wasteful government spending rather than just complained about them as John McCain has?
In addition, Sanford’s experience as chief executive of a state in addition to his congressional stint is going to be seen as preferable for a presidential candidate compared to McCain’s government experience that is limited to serving only in Congress.
December 21st, 2006 at 4:20 pm
Bring him on! The more the merrier.
I am of the firm belief that the more well-qualified candidates the GOP has to choose from in 2008, the better the chance we have of selecting a winner. Pity the poor Democrats. They have the choice between Hillary and a bunch of also-rans. We, on the other hand, already have three — count them — three top drawer candidates to choose from with the possiblity of a fourth, and even a fifth joining in. All for the best.
Remember back in 2004, the Democrats had “the seven dwarves”? Seven candidates that nobody could seriously envision as Presdident? I surely do. Things are looking far better for our side in 2008.
December 21st, 2006 at 4:25 pm
LJ, I haven’t seen any Iowa polls lately. Do you have a good place to get fairly accurate state-by-state polls?
December 21st, 2006 at 4:29 pm
Republius,
Is the reason folks are pushing for Mark Sanford perhaps because he has actually done some things about wasteful government spending rather than just complained about them as John McCain has?
I suspect people are pushing for him just like they’re pushing for Jim Gilmore to make a run too. It gets their candidate national buzz and more attention. I highly, highly doubt that Sanford will run. But my philosophy is that we need to have as many social conservatives running in order to prevent them from uniting around one single candidate (Romney or Brownback) and that way the race will ultimately be between McCain and Rudy, with everyone else fighting for scraps.
December 21st, 2006 at 4:35 pm
Patrick,
I wish there was a single site that has state by state polls for 2008, but I don’t know of any that exist. Usually, polls are conducted through individual state firms. The Iowa poll is here. I wish we could put more than one link per comment without the spam blocker eating it.
But usually, as soon as a new poll comes out Kavon, Dave or Woodrow put it up here.