The Comeback Kid

John Avlon: “From the start of this unlikely campaign, Sanford has been easy to underestimate. His well-chronicled scandal, which brought ‘hiking the Appalachian Trail‘ into the lexicon, obscured his ability to connect with low-country voters. There’s a reason Sanford has never lost an election, and during the crowded GOP primaries I was struck by the way local voters called him ‘Mark’ rather than ‘Governor’ — and his evident mastery of policy details helped him stand out from the pack. For all the easy accusations of hypocrisy, Sanford had never been a social conservative Bible-thumper as much as strident fiscal conservative who was railing against the deficit and debt while arguing for entitlement reform back in the 1990s.”

The Week: “South Carolina voters, it seems, are almost French in their willingness to forgive an extramarital affair.”