South Carolina

Former SC Gov. Mark Sanford suspends GOP primary challenge to Trump

CONCORD, N.H. — Republican Mark Sanford says he is ending his longshot 2020 presidential bid.

The former South Carolina governor and congressman centered his Republican primary challenge to President Donald Trump on warnings about the national debt. But he has struggled to gain traction since announcing his run in September.

The longshot effort become even harder as a handful of state parties canceled their primaries and other nominating contests, including in Sanford's home state of South Carolina.

Sanford's decision to end his run comes little more than a week after he moved his campaign's "home base" to New Hampshire.