Spokesman: SC governor plans to return Wednesday

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A spokesman for South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford says the Republican checked in with his staff and was surprised by the attention given to his secretive vacation.

Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer says the governor called his chief of staff Tuesday morning. His last known contact with staff was five days earlier.

Sawyer says the governor was taken aback by the interest his trip to the Appalachian Trail has garnered. Sawyer says the governor decided that with all the attention he’d return to his
office Wednesday.

Sanford’s wife told The Associated Press on Monday that she hadn’t seen him in several days and didn’t know where he was. First lady Jenny Sanford said the father of four left before the Father’s Day weekend to get away from their children and write.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)