S.C. Republicans Vote to Censure Governor

The South Carolina Republican Party voted late last night to censure Gov. Mark Sanford for disappearing from the state to visit his mistress in Argentina, but the party did not call for his resignation, an indication that the embattled Republican governor may hold on to power for the remaining 18 months of his term.

The party's leaders were divided during a four-hour meeting yesterday that was closed to the media. Twenty-two members voted to censure Sanford, 10 called for his resignation and nine supported the governor, according to a party official. The censure resolution states that a "formal admonishment" is necessary and that "barring further revelations" it will be the party's "last word on the matter."

Karen Floyd, the state party chairman, released a statement last night that invoked former president Ronald Reagan by saying the "task ahead of us is tall" but that "the best days are ahead of us."

"Today has brought a large measure of resolution to a sad chapter in our state party's history," Floyd said. "Republicans came together to speak with a unified voice, and now is the time for healing. Now is the time for healing for the Sanford family. We must pray for them -- Mark, Jenny and their four beautiful boys. Now is the time for healing for the Republican Party. We must hold true to our core beliefs and recommit to being Republican now more than ever before. And now is the time for healing for our great state."

Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer told reporters last night that "the governor fully appreciates the party's position and he intends to work diligently to earn back its trust."

The party's reprimand vote comes nearly two weeks after Sanford returned from a secretive trip to Argentina and admitted his affair. Since then, Sanford's public support in the state has waned, and many Republican lawmakers and other elected officials have called for the governor to resign.

But some in the GOP establishment have been hesitant to call for Sanford to step down because they do not want to elevate Lt. Gov. André Bauer (R), whom they feel is too inexperienced and has his own record of erratic behavior. Bauer, who does not get along with Sanford and does not run on the same ticket, is among several high-profile Republican candidates for the party's 2010 gubernatorial nomination. If Bauer were to become governor, he would have the advantage of running next year with the trappings of incumbency.

Carol Fowler, the South Carolina Democratic Party chairman, said the Republicans made "a political decision" and did not want to further weaken Sanford's standing in the state, considering he has remained adamant about staying in office.

"That seems to be a protective vote for him," Fowler said. "I don't think a vote by the state committee would have caused him to resign because he's made up his mind to stay without regard to what anybody might say. But by not asking him to resign, they've protected him a little bit just from another day of terrible publicity."

Sanford spent the July 4 holiday weekend with his wife, Jenny, and their four sons at her parents' home in Florida.

The governor has tried to show that he is back to work as usual. On Monday, he was in Charleston, S.C., for a briefing with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) about Project SeaHawk, a federally funded security task force whose goal is protecting the Port of Charleston against acts of terrorism. Sanford was notably absent at a media gathering following the briefing.

Later yesterday, he issued a statement about a string of murders in Cherokee County, S.C., and asked South Carolinians to "join my family and me in prayer" for the victims' families.