Mark Sanford

Governor of South Carolina

Mark Sanford was elected as South Carolina’s 115th governor in 2002 and re-elected in 2006, becoming only the third two-term governor in modern state history.

His administration has been marked by a focus on improving people’s lives. By creating more economic opportunity, by watching out for the taxpayer, by working to reform government structure, by opening up South Carolina’s political system, and by bettering quality of life in the state, change of long-antiquated systems is beginning and South Carolina is becoming more competitive in the global economy.

Governor Sanford’s adopted budget proposals have saved tens of millions of dollars. In 2003, South Carolina was in a $1 billion financial hole, including a $155 million unconstitutional deficit. In contrast, the 2007 budget process started in the black for the first time in 16 years.

Under Governor Sanford’s leadership, South Carolina passed comprehensive tort reform and cut the marginal income tax rate – both firsts in state history. Today there are over 170,000 more people working than there were when Governor Sanford took office – a 15-year record for employment growth.

The DMV was brought into the governor’s Cabinet, and reforms there have reduced average wait times from 66 minutes to 15 minutes. The landmark campaign finance reform and Commerce disclosure reform bills signed by Governor Sanford have brought much needed sunlight and accountability to state government, and, for the first time ever, campaign disclosure reports are now available online. The governor has held monthly “Open Door After 4” meetings in his office, where anyone from anywhere in the state can come by for a visit.

The state passed first-of-its-kind charter school legislation to allow parents more choices in where their children attend school. As well, more land has been set aside during his governorship than under any other administration in South Carolina history.

Further restructuring of South Carolina’s antiquated system of government continues to be one of Governor Sanford’s top priorities in his efforts to bring more accountability and cost-effectiveness to the state.

Prior to being elected governor in 2002, Governor Sanford lived on the South Carolina coast with his wife, Jenny, and their four sons, Marshall, Landon, Bolton and Blake. Governor Sanford served six years in the U.S. Congress prior to his election as governor, and had no prior political experience before being elected to Congress in 1994.

During his time in Washington, Governor Sanford was a tireless advocate for the taxpayer. For his consistent efforts to lower taxes and limit government growth he was ranked #1 in the entire Congress by Citizens Against Government Waste. He was rated similarly by the National Taxpayers’ Union, and Taxpayers for Common Sense inducted him into the Taxpayers Hall of Fame. In his own Congressional office, he backed his voting record with personal action – returning over $200,000 (almost a third of his total office budget) each year to the taxpayers.

Governor Sanford learned the themes of hard work and frugality with his two brothers and sister on their family farm near Beaufort. He graduated from high school in Beaufort before attending Furman University in Greenville, where he received a B.A. in business. He later received an M.B.A. from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business and went on to work in real estate finance and investment in New York and Charleston, SC.