Sanford Denies ’08 Run
Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina always struck me as a good dark horse candidate for 2008, but he’s claiming disinterest:
Gov. Mark Sanford “absolutely” will not run for president in 2008.
In a wide-ranging interview with The State newspaper in his State House office last week, Sanford said he would not be a candidate for president in the 2008 Republican primary.
Sanford will seek re-election as governor in 2006.
“Should I get re-elected,” Sanford said, “I absolutely am serving all four years, because we just have some huge issues here in South Carolina that are just an immense challenge.”
Sanford has said in the past that he was not planning to run for the White House, but he always had left the door cracked for a possible bid. His name has been mentioned by political observers handicapping the early, early race for the GOP nomination.
It’s always difficult to know how to interpret these denials – I suspect if the money was there, he’d run, so perhaps he’s put out some feelers and been less than overwhelmed with the response.
In any event, we’ll keep an eye on him; in politicis, you almost never say never…
I didn’t think he’d run for president, but I did think he’d be a good veep choice. But if he’s saying not just “I won’t run for president” but “I’ll serve out my term,” that would seem to indicate he’s not interested in being No. 2 either.
Of course, he’s only dealing with hypotheticals now. If the nominee asks him to be No. 2, I’m sure he could say that subsequent events have convinced him the time has come to serve his country in a new way, blah blah blah…
He’s McCain’s veep if he runs. That’s because McCain, to win the nod, will have to win SC, and Graham and Sanford were big McCain supporters last time around and will be this time too. McCain as the GOP nominee will have the midwest and west locked up, but will need to shore up the south, and what better way to do that than by picking one of his biggest supporters from a dark red state. Graham is probably his first pick, but I don’t think two maverick senators will sit well with the GOP powers that be. Sanford as a governor, a DC outsider, a southerner with a libertarian streak and crossover appeal, and a young and attractive guy would be an ideal running mate for McCain as the nominee.
[...] I don’t see another viable candidate in Tennesee or Florida. I doubt Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour would run. South Caroline Governor Mark Sanford said he will absolutely not run. None of the Southern Senators strike me as a presidential candidate. [...]