In the past few days, the Republican governor of South Carolina, Mark Sanford, was incognito. His staff was in the dark about his whereabouts, his cell-phone turned off and even his security detail was unaware as to where the governor was [or so they claimed].

The media ran with the story of the so-called Missing Governor and some even speculated that the governor’s disappearance disqualified him from office. His wife then stated that the governor was simply hiking in the woods for a few days to “clear his head”. I stood up for the governor then arguing that he had ever right to “clear his head” without informing arrogant journalists.

Well, it turns out that the governor was not in the woods of South Carolina. In a morning press conference, standing alone; Governor Sanford announced that he had been unfaithful in his marriage. The governor had just come from spending the past few days with his mistress in the Argentine capital Beunos Aires. The women, an Argentinian woman with whom he has been friends with for eight years. The governor and the woman went on a cruise and then stayed at an apartment, which has subsequently been identified.

The governor broke down in admitting his affair and said that he will be patient in seeking forgiveness. His wife’s absence was salient as politicians’ poor wives often are made to stand next to their cheating husbands. His wife had initially told him to leave the home, but know both say they will work at their marriage.

The governor was long billed as a rising star within the demoralized Republican party. A principled fiscal conservative and devout Christian, Sanford was seen by many as a strong contender for the 2012 Republican nomination. Those hopes have now fallen as another Republican is found to be a hypocrite. It is not even certain if Sanford can survive as governor, let alone lead the Republican party.

The governor has resigned from being the head of the Republican Governors Association.