South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says he's had an affair

 
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Modified: June 24, 2009 at 2:13 pm | Published: June 24, 2009    Comment on this article Leave a comment

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says he's been having an affair with a woman from Argentina and will resign as head of the Republican Governors' Association.

photo - In this April 3, 2009 file photo, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford fields questions during a news conference in Columbia, S.C. Gov. Sanford told a newspaper Wednesday, June 24, 2009 that he was in Argentina during his unexplained 5-day absence, not hiking along the Appalachian Trail as his office previously said. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain, file)
In this April 3, 2009 file photo, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford fields questions during a news conference in Columbia, S.C. Gov. Sanford told a newspaper Wednesday, June 24, 2009 that he was in Argentina during his unexplained 5-day absence, not hiking along the Appalachian Trail as his office previously said. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain, file)

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The married father of four emotionally apologized to his wife, staff and others at a news conference after returning Wednesday from a trip to Argentina that followed a dayslong absence. He staff had said the Republican was hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

Sanford says he met the woman about eight years ago and it became romantic about a year ago. He says his wife and family have known about it for the past five months.

He had been a rumored contender for the 2012 GOP ticket. He's most recently snared headlines for his unsuccessful fight to turn aside federal stimulus cash for his state's schools.




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