Mark Sanford was elected as South Carolina’s 115th governor in 2002 and re-elected in 2006.

While in office, Sanford was able to accomplish a comprehensive tort reform and cut the marginal income tax rate – according to his office, both were firsts in state history.

Under Sanford's watch, the DMV was brought into the governor’s Cabinet, and reforms there reduced average wait times from 66 minutes to 15 minutes.

According to his office, Campaign finance reform and Commerce disclosure reform bills signed by Governor Sanford have brought more sunlight and accountability to state government, and, for the first time ever, campaign disclosure reports became available online.

Sanford is known for monthly “Open Door After 4” meetings in his office, where anyone from anywhere in the state can come by for a visit.

Prior to being elected governor in 2002, Governor Sanford lived on the South Carolina coast with his wife, Jenny, and their four sons, Marshall, Landon, Bolton and Blake. Governor Sanford served six years in the U.S. Congress prior to his election as governor, and had no prior political experience before being elected to Congress in 1994.

During his time in Washington, Sanford was a advocate for the taxpayer. His efforts to lower taxes and limit government growth gained him the attention of several groups on Capitol Hill. 

He was ranked #1 in the entire Congress by Citizens Against Government Waste and was rated similarly by the National Taxpayers’ Union. The Taxpayers for Common Sense even inducted him into their Taxpayers Hall of Fame.

While in Congressional office, he returned over $200,000 (almost a third of his total office budget) each year to the taxpayers.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2009 Sanford admitted to being unfaithful to his wife, and stated in a press conference that this was the reason he was in Argentina for Father's Day instead of at home with his family.

Sanford's five-day excusion in Argentina was made without clearly notifying his staff or Lt. Governor Andre Bauer and prompted investigations on his possible misuse of state funds.

Sanford annouced his resignation as the chair of the Republican Governor's Association, but refused to resign as the governor of South Carolina.

Sanford spent his childhood with his two brothers and sister on their family farm near Beaufort. He graduated from high school in Beaufort before attending Furman University in Greenville, where he received a B.A. in business. He later received an M.B.A. from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and went on to work in real estate finance and investment in New York and Charleston, SC.

Sources: scgovernor.com, The Associated Press

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