One day after the National Republican Campaign Committee announced it would not financially back former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's (R) bid for Congress, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced a $200,000 ad buy reminding voters of his 2009 affair.
"Mark Sanford walked out on us, violated our trust, secretly used thousands of taxpayer dollars flying to Argentina and then lied about it," says a narrator, while a man's legs are pictured walking through a forest. "Now he wants our trust again? Maybe Mark Sanford should just keep walking."
The grainy images in the ad are an obvious reference to Sanford's claim that he was "hiking the Appalachian Trail," when he was in fact going to visit his mistress in Argentina. Sanford was subsequently censured by the South Carolina General Assembly for using state funds for his trips. The woman he was going to visit, Maria Belen Chapur, is now his fiancee.
Sanford will face off against Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, the sister of comedian Stephen Colbert, in the May 7 special election for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District. He lost the NRCC's support Wednesday following a report from the Associated Press that he had trespassed on his ex-wife's property in violation of their divorce agreement and had had to appear in court. Sanford said that he was trying to watch the Super Bowl with his 14-year-old son.
The DCCC ad buy signals heightened interest in the race from national Democrats, who appear to view Sanford as vulnerable even though he is running in a deeply Republican district. The House Majority PAC began a six-figure, three-week ad buy Wednesday reminding voters of the affair.
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