No-Compromise Jenny Sanford Is SC Hero

In the traditional narrative of the philandering politician, the wronged wife is forced to stand by her man and offer unconditional forgiveness. But Jenny Sanford is forging a new path. She has publicly flayed the South Carolina governor—"His career is not a concern of mine," she told reporters recently—and has won huge respect from the state's voters in the process, reports the Washington Post.

Jenny served as Mark Sanford's campaign strategist when he ran for Congress and governor, and one insider says "he would have never won either of his governor's races without her." The Chicago-born first lady and her four sons took refuge on an island near Charleston when the scandal broke, and her stance as survivor, not victim, has impressed many. (More Jenny Sanford stories.)