Test of Trump loyalty topples South Carolina's Mark Sanford

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Rep. Mark Sanford, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, lost his South Carolina congressional seat Tuesday hours after the president injected himself into the bitter Republican primary by stoking memories of the incumbent's public extramarital affair seven years ago.

[VOTE 2018: South Carolina Primary Election Results]

In the most dramatic result in primaries across five states, Sanford was the second incumbent House Republican to lose a primary this year - the latest victim of intense divisions among the GOP in the Trump era. Though he has a generally conservative voting record, his criticism of Trump as unworthy and culturally intolerant made him a target of the president's most dedicated supporters, who often elevate loyalty over policy.

Sanford was defeated by state Rep. Katie Arrington , who spent her campaign blasting Sanford as a "Never Trumper." And hours before polls closed, Trump posted a startlingly personal attack on Twitter, calling Sanford "very unhelpful."

"He's MIA and nothing but trouble," Trump continued. "He is better off in Argentina."

The swipe was a reference to Sanford's unexplained disappearance from the state in 2009, which he later said was part of an affair he was carrying on with a woman in Argentina.

Even for a political figure with no shortage of confidence wading into his own party's decision-making, Trump's attack on Sanford was a bold case of going after a sitting member of Congress. It's almost certain to make other Republicans even more reluctant to take him on, even as Trump has stirs division on trade, foreign policy and the Russia investigation.

In his remarks Tuesday night, Sanford was unbowed, saying, "I stand by every one of those decisions to disagree with the president."

Sanford had never lost a political race in South Carolina and his defeat Tuesday was an abrupt end to a roller-coaster political career that included a resignation as South Carolina's governor following his admission of the affair.

After declaring victory Tuesday, Arrington asked Republicans to come together. And she reminded them who she thinks leads them: "We are the party of President Donald J. Trump."

Throughout his political career, Sanford has played up his outsider credentials - both in the U.S. House, where he supported a box to check on federal tax returns to put $3 toward the national debt, and as governor, bringing a pair of squealing pigs to the state House and Senate chamber to protest what he call pork spending.

But Arrington, who works for a defense contractor, has exploited that trait, pointing out Sanford's call for Trump to release his tax returns, his vote against Trump's border wall proposal, and his calling proposed tariffs on alumni and steel "an experiment with stupidity."

Sanford responded that he speaks his mind regardless of party and said he has shown over two decades he is a true conservative. In his remarks Tuesday night, he said: "I stand by every one of those decisions to disagree with the president."

Then there was the Twitter post just after 4 p.m. Tuesday. After attacking Sanford, the president backed Arrington.

"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!"

Four other states voted Tuesday, including several races that will be key to determining which party controls the House of Representatives next year.

In other races:

IN SOUTH CAROLINA, INCUMBENT GOVERNOR FACES RUN-OFF

Sanford was not the only establishment Republican to face a challenge Tuesday. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a close ally of Trump, was forced into a runoff after failing to muster the required 50 percent vote to win outright.

McMaster, an early supporter of the president's 2016 campaign, had Trump's full endorsement, marked by a weekend tweet.

But while Trump remains very popular in the state, McMaster has been shadowed by a corruption probe involving a longtime political consultant. McMaster received the most votes of the four Republicans running, but will face Greenville businessman John Warren in a second contest June 26.

McMaster, the former lieutenant governor, assumed the governorship last year after Nikki Haley resigned to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

SC primary voters like Trump's tax cuts, medical marijuana

Both Democratic and Republican primary voters in South Carolina have overwhelmingly approved questions their parties put on the ballot.

Republicans asked their primary voters Tuesday if they supported bringing the South Carolina tax code into "conformity with the new Trump tax cuts."

The GOP also asked its voters if they support only allowing members of a party to vote in primaries. Currently South Carolina voters don't have to register with a party to vote in a primary.

Democrats asked their voters if they support medical marijuana and taking federal money to expand Medicaid in South Carolina.

All four questions received more than 80 percent approval in unofficial results.

Runoffs set for several SC Congressional District races

One incumbent U.S. House member won and one lost in Tuesday's primaries in South Carolina.

U.S. Rep. Tom Rice easily won the Republican nomination as he seeks a fourth term, beating Larry Guy Hammond of Myrtle Beach in the 7th District that runs from Florence to Myrtle Beach.

He will face the Democratic nominee - Mal Hyman of Hartsville and state Rep. Robert Williams of Darlington will square off in a June 26 runoff - and Libertarian Dick Withington in November.

U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford lost his Republican primary to state Rep. Katie Arrington.

Arrington attacked Sanford for his criticism of President Donald Trump.

Joe Cunningham, a construction lawyer and yoga studio owner won the Democratic nomination for the 1st District, which includes Charleston and the southern coast and has not elected a Democrat since 1978.

In the 5th District, Archie Parnell won the Democratic nomination even after divorce papers surfaced from nearly 45 years ago saying he beat his wife.

Democratic party leaders urged Parnell to withdraw, but he refused, saying he was a changed man.

"Tonight, the people sent a clear message to everyone. You don't have to be defined by your worst mistake," Parnell said in a statement.

The win by the Sumter attorney sets up a rematch with U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman.

The Republican won a surprisingly close special election last year by 3 percentage points in the district which covers 11 counties from Spartanburg to Sumter and is anchored by the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Constitution party candidate Michael Chandler will also appear on November's ballot.

Former state Sen. Lee Bright has one spot locked in for a runoff for the Republican nomination in the 4th District seat left open when U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy decided not to run again. Bright is a social conservative known for controversial stances, like requiring people to use the bathrooms of the gender of their birth.

Bright's runoff opponent still wasn't clear after Tuesday's primary. State Sen. William Timmons and state Rep. Dan Hamilton were within 400 votes of each other for the second spot in the June 26 primary in unofficial results.

Businessman Brandon Brown and accountant Doris Lee Turner will meet in a runoff to determine the Democratic nominee for the 4th District.

In the 2nd District, retired Army veteran Sean Carrigan of Chapin and Annabelle Robertson of West Columbia will meet in a Democratic runoff election in two weeks. The winner of the runoff will face incumbent Republican Joe Wilson and American party member Sonny Narang in November to represent the district that includes the western suburbs of Columbia. Wilson has been a member of Congress since 2001.

Democratic primary winner Mary Geren of Anderson will face American Party's Dave Moore of Salem and incumbent Republican Jeff Duncan in the general election. Duncan is seeking his fifth term in the district in the northwest part of the state.

In the 6th District, Democratic incumbent James Clyburn, Republican candidate Gerhard Gressmann of Estill, and the Green Party's Bryan Pugh of Orangeburg ran unopposed for their party's nomination and will face each other in November in the state's only majority-minority district.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com: