“A lot of people at times would push against certain things based on their fear that my political star was climbing,” Sanford said in an interview set to air Tuesday with Columbia’s WIS television station.

“If they did that, it would help me get to wherever it was they thought I was going.”

“What became abundantly clear was the supposed stars on the rainbow weren’t there, and I think we were able to debate the issue at hand,” he added. “I was less the issue, and the issue was more the issue.”