But in the past two months, Sanford has been out of state for 25 days, more than half of which was spent in Europe trying to reconcile with his wife and children.
That’s fine to those who view the time off as coming during the dog days of summer, a time Sanford could spend best as a father and a husband first.
For others, the time away while the state is suffering doesn’t sit well, especially as more than 11 percent of workers in South Carolina can’t find jobs.
To be sure, Sanford is in lame-duck territory, no different than any term-limited politician at the end of his tenure. Sanford, a Republican, has a little more than 16 months remaining in office, and his recent troubles only make it harder for him to make the policy and taxation changes he seeks.
But Rep. Todd Rutherford, a Columbia Democrat who has called for Sanford to resign, said for the governor to prove that he should remain in office is “looking rather daunting.”