(Chris Moody/Yahoo News)
BEAUFORT, S.C. -- Campaign fever has swept the lower region of South Carolina's first congressional district, but the anticipation for next week's election has little to do with Mark Sanford or Elizabeth Colbert Busch.
The true contender is Beaufort-born Candice Glover, a 23-year-old top finalist on the hit television show "American Idol." Over the weekend, the window fronts of businesses along Main Street here were covered with campaign posters that read "Vote for Candice Y'all" and nearly everyone sported "I Voted Candice Glover For American Idol" stickers on their chests. On Saturday, the town even organized a parade for her, where thousands lined the street to see their hometown hero perform before her final competition in Los Angeles. Aside from just a handful of people on the outskirts of the parade waving campaign posters for Sanford and a Colbert Busch yard sign planted along the parade route, all the attention was on Glover. (Colbert Busch visited Beaufort on Friday and Sanford attended the parade Saturday.) 
Katie and Kayleigh Edgerly rally for Candice Glover. (Chris Moody/Yahoo News)
Lost in the hullabaloo in this storybook waterfront town is the other upcoming contest--an actual election-- to fill the state's open congressional seat. "No one is here to see Sanford," a man wearing a "Vote: Candice" t-shirt told me. "You're probably the only one."
But Sanford was present, making his way through the crowd, shaking hands and snapping photos with all who would stop and greet him.
One might be forgiven for not noticing him at first.
Standing in a pair of old, beaten up leather shoes, casual Izod khakis and a blue checkered oxford shirt, Sanford looked like any other dad at the parade. He meandered among the people without a flashy entourage or even a gaggle of reporters chasing him. Supporters found their old governor nonetheless--at times only after making a double-take--and stopped to pledge support for him in Tuesday's election.
Surrounded by people, Sanford appeared more exhilarated with every hand shaken and photo taken. "Happy Candice Day!" he would say before extending his hand.
Sanford could hardly walk three steps before another person would approached him. One group of men standing on a balcony overlooking the parade route spotted him in the crowd and shouted, "Mark!" before nodding their heads and giving a silent thumbs up.
Some felt the urge to tell him that they had forgiven him for his behavior as governor, when he secretly left the country to meet his Argentine mistress--now his fiance--a decision that many said at the time would end his political career.
"I'm glad you're making a comeback," a man told Sanford as he shook his hand.
"Thank God for second chances," the man's wife added.
"I agree with that," Sanford said.
Others, of course, offered less grace. Some who recognized him looked the other way, or shouted things like, "Go back to Argentina!" or "Elizabeth!" the first name of his opponent.
Still, Sanford appeared grateful. Between conversations and handshakes with parade watchers, he stopped for a moment to reflect.
"It's a blessing," Sanford said. "I've been to a place where people didn't want to get their picture taken with me."
Perhaps the true blessing, at least here, is that he's not running against Candice Glover.
Mark Sanford in Beaufort, South Carolina. (Chris Moody/Yahoo News)
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