Once again proving that political obituaries are sometimes written far too early, voters in South Carolina have sent a scandal scarred ex-Governor back to Congress, as Republican Mark Sanford easily won a seat in the U.S. House over Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch.
While the polls had indicated an edge for Democrats that was narrowing over the last week, Sanford won all five counties that comprise the 1st Congressional District in South Carolina, loosely based around Charleston and the southern half of the Palmetto State coastline.
It's the second time around in Congress for Sanford, who was first elected in the 1994 Republican Revolution.
After his first tour in Congress, Sanford won election in 2002 and 2006 as Governor of South Carolina, but then saw his marriage and political career collapse when word leaked of his affair with a woman from Argentina.
Sanford had told his staffers that he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail in 2009; instead, he was in Argentina with a woman who was not his wife.
Sanford did serve out his second term, and most thought his political career was over until this House seat opened up when Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC) was appointed to the U.S. Senate.
After Sanford prevailed in a primary runoff for this House seat, Democrats poured money into the race, convinced that Colbert Busch had a good chance to defeat Sanford, and start Democrats back on the road to a majority in the Congress.
But it didn't turn out that way, as Sanford won a solid 54-45% victory, winning allareas around Charleston.
"Thank you to each and every person who helped make tonight possible!" Sanford tweeted, adding a photo showing him being interviewed by reporters at his campaign headquaters.
As for national Democrats, they turned their fire immediately on Sanford and his personal troubles.
The win gives Republicans a 32 seat advantage in the House of 233-201, with one vacant seat in Missouri.
