Mark Sanford makes last-minute bid to return to Congress in South Carolina

The former governor and congressman is running in the Republican primary for the state's 1st District seat.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 3:36pm

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A softly lit, cinematic painting of an empty government office or legislative chamber, with warm sunlight streaming through the windows and deep shadows casting a contemplative mood, conceptually representing the complicated political landscape.The return of a once-disgraced politician to the political stage reflects the complex dynamics and shifting fortunes in this South Carolina district.Columbia Today

Mark Sanford, the former South Carolina governor and congressman whose political career was derailed by a 2009 affair, has filed paperwork to run in the June 9 Republican primary for the state's 1st District congressional seat. Sanford previously held the 1st District seat twice before, serving six years in Congress before being elected governor. After a scandal over his disappearance to visit his mistress in Argentina, Sanford later won back his old House seat in 2013 and served two more full terms before losing in 2018 to a challenger backed by former President Donald Trump.

Why it matters

Sanford's return to politics is notable given his past scandal and the fact that the 1st District seat flipped to Democratic control in 2018 before being won back by a Republican in 2020. His campaign will likely focus on fiscal issues like the national debt, which he has long emphasized as a priority.

The details

Just hours before the filing deadline, Sanford submitted paperwork to run in the June 9 Republican primary for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District. He previously held the seat twice, first winning it in 1994 as a political outsider and then regaining it in 2013 after his gubernatorial term was overshadowed by the 'Appalachian Trail' scandal, in which he disappeared to visit his mistress in Argentina. Sanford served two more full terms in the House before losing his 2018 re-election bid to a Trump-backed challenger. The 1st District seat then flipped to Democratic control that year before being won back by a Republican in 2020.

  • Sanford filed his candidacy paperwork just hours before the filing deadline on March 30, 2026.
  • The Republican primary election in South Carolina's 1st District is scheduled for June 9, 2026.

The players

Mark Sanford

A former South Carolina governor and congressman who is launching another bid for the 1st District congressional seat he previously held twice.

Nancy Mace

The current Republican representative for South Carolina's 1st District, who is running for governor this year.

Donald Trump

The former president whose endorsement of a challenger helped defeat Sanford in his 2018 re-election bid for the 1st District seat.

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What they’re saying

“I felt 1st District voters wanted a representative who is an advocate for financial sanity that has been lost in Washington for all too long.”

— Mark Sanford

What’s next

The June 9 Republican primary will determine who will face the Democratic nominee in the general election for South Carolina's 1st District congressional seat.

The takeaway

Sanford's return to politics after his past scandal highlights the complex dynamics in the 1st District, which has flipped between Republican and Democratic control in recent elections. His campaign will likely focus on fiscal issues, an area he has long emphasized as a priority.