Newly sworn-in Congressman Mark Sanford took time on Friday to congratulate the also newly elected American Idol Candice Glover. Candice Glover won the television singing competition on Wednesday, after unsuccessfully attempting to get on the show two times previously. Sanford even referenced the second and third chances she got. When Mark Sanford was running for his seat against Democrat Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, much of his campaign was focused on second chances and redemption. However his second chance came after he cheated on his wife and lied about his whereabouts while serving as South Carolina’s governor.
Mark Sanford’s Remarks:
Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of rising today to congratulate Lowcountry native and St. Helena Island’s own Candice Glover on winning the title of ‘‘American Idol.’’ She is the daughter of John and Carole Glover. Candice is a graduate of Beaufort High School. I think that her story ultimately is inspirational, because what she does is she teaches and reminds every one of us on the importance of this simple no-tion of trying, trying, and trying yet again. Because it was, in fact, on her third attempt that she actually made it, and it made all the difference. I was there for ‘‘hero’s welcome’’ just a couple of weeks ago in Beaufort, South Carolina, and I can only imagine the welcome that she will now receive. She was then one of three. She won it this week. Her career is one that started at Oaks True Holiness Church back home at the age of 4 when she was singing literally to the Lord. It was only the beginning. And as South Carolina’s new congressman from the First Con-gressional District, I speak for many who could not be more proud of Candice for, indeed, the way that she reminds every one of us of the impor-tance of trying, trying, and trying yet again. Congratulations, Candice.