Election-starved political junkies will get some rare sustenance tonight when we learn whether disgraced ex-governor Mark Sanford will take another step back towards the congressional seat he once held, or will have to find some other time-honored way to make a living for people in his caste, like strip-mall development.
The CW is that Sanford will dispose of underfunded and largely unknown runoff opponent Curtis Bostic and then spend the month he has before a May 7 general election contest against Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch preaching “Republican unity” against the godless liberal hordes that would swarm the district like zombies if Busch were to win. In that scenario, there would be intense pressure on the dominant political personalities of the district, Sen. Tim Scott and Jenny Sanford, to come to Mark’s rescue and argue any “personal differences” with the candidate are less important than protecting the good people of the district from looters and baby-killers.
On the other hand, reaction to an earlier PPP poll showing Busch doing better against Sanford than against Bostic has given the latter the important talking point that Sanford’s past is a millstone for the GOP. Bostic’s gotten national love from Rick Santorum and Ann Coulter, and local backing from the more intense Christian Right types. So it could be a lot closer tonight that earlier expected. And either way, we hope Sanford’s fiancee will soon be allowed to set foot in her presumed new South Carolina home, unless he loses and decides to relocate to Buenos Aires.
