Gov. Mark Sanford was a busy man Wednesday night.

In addition to appearing at a fund-raiser for tsunami relief with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Sanford was providing another kind of relief for his friend Ken Wingate.

Wingate, a Columbia tax attorney, lost a bid for the state Senate last year to Joel Lourie, D-Richland. Sanford helped Wingate during the campaign and now is helping Wingate retire his $21,000 campaign debt.

The fund-raiser was at the SouthTrust building in downtown Columbia. The invitation urged folks to come “meet with Governor Sanford” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Attendees had better have gone early, though, as Sanford was already with Giuliani by about 6 p.m.

SO, SENATOR, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT GAY TEACHERS?

One political race in the Lone Star State next year will have a decidedly Palmetto feel to it.

Terry Sullivan, who managed Jim DeMint’s successful campaign for the U.S. Senate, has been hired by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, to launch a campaign either for re-election or for governor.

Hutchison is wavering between seeking re-election or running against Republican Gov. Rick Perry.

Sullivan said he is prepared to run a re-election campaign for Hutchison or a tough primary race against a sitting governor. “I’m with her for whatever she wants to do,” he told The Associated Press.

Hutchison also hired S.C. native Scott Howell, now living in Dallas, to direct her media campaign.

Sullivan last year guided DeMint’s campaign through what he described as a “brutal, competitive and heated” campaign against Democrat Inez Tenenbaum. The most memorable moment came when DeMint said gays and lesbians should not be allowed to teach in public schools.

CHAIRMAN ANDRE

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer was named chairman of the Republican Lieutenant Governors Association for 2005 during the group’s winter meeting last week in Washington.

“I can assure everyone,” he said, “that I’ll use this position to reach out across the country and share ideas and insights that can make all of us more effective when it comes to serving our states and cities.”

The group includes 24 of the nation’s 43 lieutenant governors.