Mark Sanford
A fiscally hawkish governor whose political career became a national drama of scandal, disappearance, and an improbable congressional comeback.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American politician and author·Birthday: May 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Mark Sanford first made his name as a congressman from South Carolina with a rigid focus on fiscal conservatism, famously sleeping in his office to save money. Elected governor in 2002, he championed budget cuts and resisted stimulus funds, building a reputation as a principled maverick. That image shattered in 2009 when he disappeared for a week, telling his staff he was hiking the Appalachian Trail, only to be revealed he was in Argentina with his mistress. The scandal, complete with tearful press conferences, ended his marriage and his prospects in the Republican presidential sphere. In a twist emblematic of his district's loyalty, he staged a political resurrection, winning back his old congressional seat in 2013. His final act in Washington was defined by his vocal, lonely opposition to Donald Trump, a stance that ultimately cost him his seat in a 2018 primary, closing a tumultuous chapter in Southern politics.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Mark was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mark Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Mark's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 115th Governor of South Carolina from 2003 to 2011, emphasizing budget austerity.
- Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives three times after his governorship, in 2013, 2014, and 2016.
- Gained national attention for refusing some federal stimulus money in 2009 on philosophical grounds.
- Chaired the Republican Governors Association from 2005 to 2006.
Did You Know?
During his first terms in Congress, he slept on a futon in his office to avoid renting an apartment in D.C.
He is a licensed pilot and flew himself on campaign trips.
After leaving Congress, he became a contributor for CNN.
He hiked a large portion of the Appalachian Trail in 2019 after leaving office.
“I've been hiking on the Appalachian Trail. That's the bottom line.”
