Thursday, Jul. 02, 2009

DeMint not pushing resignation

U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint said he spoke with Gov. Mark Sanford on Wednesday about Sanford’s future but did not encourage the embattled governor to resign.

DeMint, R-S.C., who was in Columbia for a Wednesday evening book signing, said he spoke to Sanford but did not visit with him.

“I have just encouraged him to do what’s best for the state and if we give him a little room, I know he will,” said DeMint, who served in the U.S. House alongside Sanford, a fellow Republican.

When asked if Sanford is fit to lead the state in view of his recent confession about an extramarital affair and inappropriate relationships with other women, DeMint said, “I don’t know.”

DeMint went into more detail in an interview with Fox News Wednesday morning.

DeMint did not call for Sanford to resign, but he expressed his disappointment with the governor.

“He’s dropped the flag. The rest of us have to get up and go on,” DeMint said during an interview on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.”

“A lot of us are talking to him behind the scenes in hopes that he’ll make the right decision about what needs to be done.”

Asked what the “right decision” would be for Sanford, DeMint said: “I don’t want to say.”

Late last month, Sanford vanished from South Carolina for a week without telling anyone where he was going. Confronted by a State newspaper reporter when his plane from Argentina landed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Sanford initially said he had been on an adventure trip to Argentina, driving the country’s coastline.

Subsequently told that The State had e-mails outlining an affair with Maria Belen Chapur, Sanford said he had been unfaithful to his wife with a woman in Argentina and that he and the first lady were separated.

During an interview Tuesday, Sanford said he had “crossed lines” with multiple women and added that he actually visited his Argentine lover seven times dating from 2001.

DeMint said the further explanation was “not a wise thing to do in this business.”

“They say, when you are explaining, you are losing. And particularly on that subject, I think, he was,” the senator said. “I’m concerned of whether or not he is in a position that he can continue to lead the state.”

DeMint said the talks with Sanford are ongoing.

“I have my concerns to whether or not he can continue,” DeMint said. “I think we will see some resolution in the next week.”

— Staff writer Gina Smith, Fox News, and Politico.com contributed to this report.

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