Lt. Gov: Sanford Must Resign

The heat gets turned up on Mark Sanford today: His own lieutenant governor will ask him to resign, the State reports. Andre Bauer plans to make the request in both a news conference and in a personal letter to the embattled South Carolina governor. Bauer says he would serve out Sanford's term but would not run for re-election in 2010, a key sticking point in state politics.

Some state political leaders have been reluctant to join the call for Sanford's resignation for fear it would give Bauer an unfair advantage in the next election as the incumbent, notes the State. South Carolina's House Republican Caucus, meanwhile, plans to meet this weekend to consider impeachment. Sanford's been under fire since his affair with an Argentine woman came to light, not only for the affair but for his use of state funds to travel.
(More Andre Bauer stories.)