The Politics of Second Chances First Mark Sanford, who as governor of South Carolina disappeared for six days to visit his lover in Argentina, and was later censured and settled ethics complaints, was returned to his former seat in the House. Then Anthony D. Weiner, who resigned his House seat after his lewd messages to women were revealed, announced he was running for mayor of New York. Do voters think personal scandal matters? What can a politician do to recover from disgrace?