Sanford headed to New Hampshire amid talk of challenge to Trump

Former Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) will travel to New Hampshire Tuesday night as speculation grows about the former congressman and governor possibly mounting a primary challenge against President Trump.

Sanford, who lost his congressional seat last year after Trump endorsed his primary opponent, Katie Arrington, will be in New Hampshire on Tuesday for meetings, a spokesperson told The Associated Press, while providing no other details.

{mosads}The meetings come as Sanford was reported last month to be considering a primary bid against the president, a move that Sanford said he would consider over July and August.

“Sometimes in life you’ve got to say what you’ve got to say, whether there’s an audience or not for that message,” Sanford said last month. “I feel convicted.”

If he entered the race, Sanford would face steep odds to obtaining the Republican nomination, as Trump retains the support of about 90 percent of GOP voters, according to recent polls.

Trump’s endorsement of Arrington and frequent criticism of Sanford is credited at least partially with the congressman’s defeat last year, an election which ultimately resulted in the seat flipping for Democrats during the November midterm elections.

“Mark Sanford has been very unhelpful to me in my campaign to [make American great again]. He is MIA and nothing but trouble. He is better off in Argentina,” Trump wrote last year on Twitter.

“I fully endorse Katie Arrington for Congress in SC, a state I love. She is tough on crime and will continue our fight to lower taxes. VOTE Katie!” he added.

Rep. Justin Amash (I-Mich.) is also said to be considering a Libertarian Party bid for president next year, and a group of “Never Trump” Republicans have reportedly met in the hopes of finding a GOP alternative to the president, though none have announced their White House ambitions so far.