COLUMBIA -After his first 100 days as governor, two things stand out about Mark Sanford. He's staying true to his principles as a political independent. And it's costing him support in the legislature.

Sanford has drawn praise from politicians from both parties for building a strong Cabinet. His missteps have come in communication -- surprising legislators and others who would generally be in his camp by vetoing routine local legislation or publicly questioning an important economic development project.

At this point in 1999, Democratic Gov. Jim Hodges was well on his way to several major legislative victories. Before that year's legislative session was over, the lottery referendum was approved and the First Steps early childhood education initiative was created and funded. Both were key parts of Hodges' campaign platform.

And Sanford?

• The income tax plan he has proposed is a scaled-back version of the one he campaigned on. With the House leadership squarely against it, there's certainly no guarantee it's going to happen.

• His sweeping government restructuring proposal has just recently been introduced, but it's nowhere near being adopted.

• Several of his education proposals from the campaign -- including vouchers and a board of regents for colleges -- have yet to be introduced. Sanford just announced Wednesday his first major education initiative, a plan to give schools more say in how they spend state money. Legislators scrambled to sign on to the bill, which must work its way through the General Assembly in record time to pass this session. By law, the legislature adjourns June 5.

But some Republican leaders say it's too early to tell how much success Sanford will enjoy in office.

"He's elected for four years," said House Speaker David Wilkins, R-Greenville. "We have to judge him by four years, not the first 30 days, not the first 100 days."

Sanford's independent streak was his greatest calling card during six years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He's still using it as governor.

"He's trying to not just follow a party line," said Laurel Suggs, president of the S.C. League of Women Voters, which monitors and supports legislation. "He's truly trying to make his own way without maybe doing what other Republicans have done."

The top Democrat in the Senate also praises Sanford.

"I just don't have any complaints with the governor," Senate Minority Leader John Land, D-Clarendon, said. "Other than he's not a Democrat."

State Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland, isn't as impressed.

"The governor has basically been a nonentity in state politics," Rutherford said. "He had a lot of ideas early on, but I think implementation has been difficult for him."

While it's not unexpected to hear Democrats criticize a Republican, Sanford has most angered fellow Republicans, some of whom are powerful.

Some of the disagreement is minor. Several Charleston Republicans were upset Sanford vetoed a bill that would have combined the Charleston County Election Commission and the Voter Registration Board. Sanford vetoed it because the state constitution prohibits passage of a law specific only to one part of the state.

That hasn't always happened in the past, apparently, and some Lowcountry lawmakers were peeved Sanford did it without letting them know. State Rep. John Graham Altman, R-Charleston, said Sanford "shot himself in the foot" and "is running out of toes."

Eventually, Charleston Republicans were able to overturn Sanford's veto, and the hurt seems to have healed.

Other breaches are more serious. For example, Wilkins and other top Republicans in the House have been openly critical of Sanford's income tax plan.

"He's for increasing taxes on cigarettes; I'm not," Wilkins said recently. "It's a huge tax increase with a promise of a possible (income) tax decrease in the future."

But Wilkins insists the rift is only on this issue.

"Any governor is going to have some growing pains," Wilkins said. "It's important to recognize that this is the first governor in roughly 50 years that did not have state legislative experience. You would expect it would take that person and his staff some time to learn the ropes."

This is the part that's pivotal for Sanford. Lowering the income tax is not the signature Sanford campaign pledge, but increasing individual wealth is -- and reducing taxes on salaries and income is his chosen method.

Sanford said he was surprised by how upset Wilkins was, that the speaker's reaction seemed almost personal.

Wilkins vows it's not, but if he doesn't want something to pass the House, it almost assuredly will not.

Wilkins isn't the only one scratching his head over Sanford's income tax/cigarette tax plan.

"If I were the speaker, I would have been miffed also," said Sen. John Courson, R-Richland.

Courson said Sanford had spoken to the Senate Republican Caucus about a cigarette tax increase and income tax decrease.

"But he did it in the abstract," Courson says. "It was not a firm proposal. And then he came, I think the following day, with that proposal."

Courson said he was surprised by the move. So was Don Weaver, director of the S.C. Association of Taxpayers.

The influential and vocal group in Republican politics has consistently opposed the cigarette tax. Weaver's group supported Wilkins and Ways and Means Chairman Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, who killed a proposed cigarette tax increase last year.

There's a lot to be said for Sanford's proposal to eliminate the income tax, Weaver said. "He just needs to find another vehicle to fund it. There is so much blood on the House floor from last year after that fight."

Sanford's plan is not a "taxpayer-unfriendly situation," Weaver said. "Some say it's tax-neutral. It's just not politically well-received, and frankly, I think the timing was bad."

Weaver also says the plan violates the pledge many lawmakers -- including Sanford -- took not to raise taxes.

Still, Weaver is optimistic, but cautious.

"He is the most pro-taxpayer governor that South Carolina has ever had, and we appreciate that," Weaver said.

"But on the first major issue of his administration, he's sending mixed signals."

Hits and Misses

S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford has scored some wins and losses during his first 100 days in office. Here's a quick score card.

On the upside:

• Formed a strong Cabinet that gets high marks from Democrats and Republicans.

• Stayed true to his principles as a conservative, but politically independent.

On the downside:

• Angered Republicans by introducing his cigarette tax-income tax plan one day after they killed a cigarette tax increase.

• Vetoed bills dealing with local issues near and dear to legislators' hearts without giving them a heads-up.