Trump-bashing Mark Sanford defeated in GOP primary hours after Trump endorses opponent

Henry Rodgers, DCNF

Republican congressional candidate Katie Arrington defeated South Carolina Rep. Mark Sanford in the GOP primary Tuesday night hours after an endorsement from President Donald Trump.

Arrington, a state representative and businesswoman, defeated Sanford, in the primary race with 51.2 percent of the vote, running as a strong advocate for Trump’s agenda. Sanford, a vocal opponent of Trump, told a crowd of supporters before the race was officially called that he was “going to lose this race,” with 46 percent of the vote.

Trump called out Sanford hours before the election, in reference to when he was caught lying about a trip to Argentina in 2009, when he disappeared with his mistress while serving as the governor of South Carolina. Sanford later resigned after the news broke of his affair, he originally claimed his travel was related to hiking the Appalachian trail.

Mark Sanford has been very unhelpful to me in my campaign to MAGA. He is MIA and nothing but trouble. He is better off in Argentina. I fully endorse Katie Arrington for Congress in SC, a state I love. She is tough on crime and will continue our fight to lower taxes. VOTE Katie!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2018

Despite the scandal, Sanford successfully ran for Congress in 2012 and has won every election until Tuesday night’s loss to Arrington. The loss is a sign that Republican opponents to Trump could have trouble winning upcoming elections.

Arrington will take on attorney Jack Cunningham, the winner of the Democratic primary, in the Nov. 6 general election.

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