COLUMBIA - Gov. Mark Sanford's public confession to a south-of-the-border affair has been the talk of the town, whether that town is Washington, D.C., Columbia, S.C., or downtown Hampton.
Sanford, who is married and has four sons, publicly admitted last Wednesday that he had been having an extramarital affair with an Argentine woman. Sanford told reporters his infidelity began one year ago and that he had gone to Argentina to see the woman, whom he met eight years ago.
"The bottom line is this - I have been unfaithful to my wife," said the Republican governor.
He also apologized for misleading members of his staff, who released a statement earlier last week that said the governor was hiking the Appalachian Trail over the weekend.
Spokespeople for Republican Reps. Joe Wilson and Gresham Barrett said the officials would be praying for the governor and his family. The most critical reaction came from U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., whose spokeswoman Ryan Dawkins said, "He's very disappointed."
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on his Web site that he would provide any amount of personal support that he could.
"The Sanford family needs time and space to work through their challenges," Graham said. "I hope they are afforded that opportunity. We are living, as both a state and nation, in some of the most difficult times since the Great Depression and World War II."
Democrats and some Republicans say that the Sanford affair is giving the state of South Carolina a tarnished image in the national spotlight and many have called for his resignation from the Governor's office, including S.C. Rep. Bill Bowers.

Local reaction
"Like everyone else, I'm very saddened by the situation and it is clearly distracting from the job of running the state," said Bowers. "We have a lot of important issues we need to be working on - unemployment, schools, and the list goes on - and it is unfortunate to have anything that distracts from those issues."
Bowers said that he hopes the Sanford family can remain intact as they attempt to work things out and move forward and that, after much deliberation, he has come to the conclusion that the governor should resign and take care of his family.
"The reality of it is that the state's in chaos, his family is in chaos, and I think he should resign," said Bowers. "I think it's in the best interest of both his family and the state."
"This is nothing about him personally, it's about a bigger question than that," he added. "The state of South Carolina is stalled, and we need new leadership."
S.C. Rep. Curtis Brantley said that while he refused to believe that Sanford left the country without informing his staff, he would not cast stones at the governor.
"Someone knew where he was, he was just not available to the public," said Brantley. "I believe his close personal friends knew. But the Bible teaches very clearly to be careful when we cast stones. As for our governor, if his conscience doesn't condemn him, neither will I."
"But the governor should really do a personal soul searching and decide whether he can continue to be effective for the people of this state that he represents," added Brantley.
Hampton County Council Chairman Hugh B. Gray also questioned the governor's ability to be effective in the future.
"As were most South Carolinians, I was shocked and embarrassed at the revelations," said Gray. "I feel his actions have undermined his ability to be a credible and respected governor. It was his intent all along to deceive not only the public but his family as well. As far as him remaining in office, I would leave that issue to the legislature. But, if he remains in office, I doubt that he would be effective."
Many voters echo those sentiments.
"A governor should be a person whose morals are first class, they should set the example for the community and the state," said Kathy Lyons, of Walterboro. "But I don't think he did anything illegal to resign."
"I was shocked and disappointed that it happened," said George Knight of Brunson. "I think the fact that he left the country without transferring power to the lieutenant governor was a very serious lapse in judgment. As for resigning, that's a real tough call. He's only got a little over a year left in office, and all the facts aren't public knowledge yet."

Read S.C. Rep. Bill Bowers' statment here: http://hamptoncountyguardian.com/news/bowers-sanford-should-resign