Congressman Mark Sanford was on the verge of losing his reelection battle in the primary stage after Donald Trump slammed the Republican and alluded to the lawmaker’s extra martial affair.
Trump endorsed his primary opponent and said that Sanford was ‘better off in Argentina’ with less than three hours before polls close in South Carolina.
Sanford faces a tough primary challenge in Tuesday’s contest and a big part of the reason why is that he’s been a staunch critic of the president’s for the past three years.
His biggest challenger, state Rep. Katie Arrington, has characterized Sanford as a disloyal Never-Trumper.
Trump endorsed Arrington in his tweet Tuesday on the race.
‘She is tough on crime and will continue our fight to lower taxes. VOTE Katie!,’ he wrote.
He also slammed Sanford as being ‘better off in Argentina.’
President Trump endorsed Katie Arrington in her primary challenge to Rep. Mark Sanford, a vocal Trump critic
Mark Sanford faces a tough primary contest Tuesday in part because of his criticism of Trump
Trump gave his thoughts on the race just about three hours before polls closed
When Sanford was governor of South Carolina it was revealed he was having an extra marital affair when he claimed he was hiking the Appalachian Trail but was actually in Argentina with his lover, María Belén Chapur.
Trump has been accused of extra martial affairs. He divorced his first wife, Ivanka Trump, and married his mistress Marla Maples.
There are three candidates, including Sanford, in the Republican primary. If no one gets a majority after the polls close Tuesday night, then there is a runoff in two weeks.
The tweet could also be Trump’s way of preparing to take credit if Sanford loses or goes to a run-off.
The president congratulated last week for the Republican Party’s showing in Tuesday’s California primaries.
‘Great night for Republicans!’ tweeted Trump. ‘Congratulations to John Cox on a really big number in California. He can win. Even Fake News CNN said the Trump impact was really big, much bigger than they ever thought possible. So much for the big Blue Wave, it may be a big Red Wave. Working hard!’
Republican John Cox did qualify for one of the top two spots in the California governor’s race – alongside Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is heavily favored to win the race in the Democratic state.
Sanford is a house hold name in South Carolina and has never lost a political race. He carefully rebuilt his reputation after his affair was revealed and won a seat in the House of Representatives.
During the 2016 campaign he famously said Trump should ‘shut up’ and stop lashing out at his critics. He also criticized Trump’s actions while in office, such as when he called the president’s new tariffs on steel and aluminum ‘an experiment with stupidity.’
Katie Arrington celebrates after casting her vote on Tuesday
Sanford became a national name when his extra martial affair was revealed when he said he was hiking Appalachian Trail but was actually in Argentina
President Trump took credit last week when a Republican candidate made it through California’s top-two primary system to get a spot on the gubernatorial ballot
‘I’m not looking for disagreement with the administration,’ Sanford told Politico. ‘But it comes to, you cannot walk away from it if you’re really listening to the people I spend so much time with here at home.’
Arrington has aired several TV commercials pointing out Sanford’s criticism of the president. She has focused her campaign on her support for Trump.
Primary voters tend to be the red-meat party loyalists, the kind of voter that put Trump into office.
‘We need a seat at the table. Our president is going to be the president until 2020 at a minimum, or 2024, and Mark has ostracized him to the point where there will never be a seat at the table for him,’ she said at a campaign event.
Arrington endorsed Senator Marco Rubio in the 2016 contest and said she was following the lead of the state’s governor at the time, Nikki Haley.
She said she fully supported Trump once he had the nomination.
Arrington has also referred to Sanford’s affair.
‘Bless his heart, but it’s time for Mark Sanford to take a hike — for real this time,’ Arrington says in one TV ad.