But a good number of the 300-plus policy wonks attending a national conference in Charleston this weekend are more than that.

They are what you could call true believers.

These disciples of the free-market, limited government and individual responsibility movements flocked to town primarily to talk policy and swap strategy with like-minded folks.

But the South Carolina governor was an attraction, too. Many participants were eager to meet Sanford, a Republican not afraid to display his libertarian mind-set.

"I've heard incredibly good things about him," said Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute in Colorado. "He's been willing to take on some incredibly tough reforms."

The Institute is one of the many conservative think tanks from across the nation that make up the California-based State Policy Network, which sponsored the conference.

The policy sessions at the event read like Sanford's platform: taxpayer bill of rights, school choice, health savings accounts and Medicaid.

The groups at the conference included conservative powerhouses, such as Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform, Citizens Against Government Waste and the Heritage Foundation -- all of which have issued statements in support of Sanford previously.

Members of these groups donate religiously to Sanford's various campaigns and even mention him as a possible presidential contender in the future.

Sanford gave the keynote speech at the opening reception Thursday night. It was closed to the public, but those in attendance said he harped on common themes, mentioning one of his favorite writers, Thomas Friedman.

With a number of South Carolina lawmakers in attendance, including Senate leader Glenn McConnell, Sanford rattled off a number of legislative proposals he has sponsored to limit the size of government.

The audience gave him a standing ovation when he was introduced, interrupted his speech a handful of times with applause, and then gave a resounding ovation when he finished.

Sanford is one of six governors nationwide who are willing to introduce policies into the public discourse that some believe are extreme, said Ed McMullen, president of the South Carolina Policy Council, a Columbia-based conservative think tank that helped organize the event.

In South Carolina, some of those ideas, such as tax breaks for private school tuition or reducing the level of state-sponsored Medicaid, are met with opposition from both sides of the political ledger.

Sanford's stances and actions are well known, but even some GOP leaders in the General Assembly roll their eyes when they hear stories about his penny-pinching measures. (When he was in Congress, Sanford slept in his office to save taxpayer money on an apartment and voted against any bill deemed extraneous spending.)

"Our job is to put out goofy ideas that get laughed at and ridiculed," Caldara said. "Anybody who does this has to be ridiculed by the left and ridiculed by those who claim to be on the right."

As Caldara notes, at this gathering Sanford's legislative war wounds are badges of honor. He is a beacon of hope for these fiscally conservative, anti-government diehards.

"He is singing to the choir," said Neal Thigpen, a political pundit at Francis Marion University. "He's the biggest free marketer libertarian they could have in the field."

Sanford's issue positions often draw the ire of Democrats.

"He ought to stop running for president and be governor," said Democratic Party Executive Director Lachlan McIntosh.

Paul Mero, the president of the Sutherland Institute in Utah, likes a politician who isn't just politics as usual.

"It's good to know you are not alone," he said. "There is something refreshing and uplifting when you have others who feel the same way."