COLUMBIA, S.C. - Gov. Mark Sanford will have an opportunity to talk about his accomplishments midway through his first term and what he wants to do in the next two years when he gives his third State of the State address on Wednesday.

Sanford said he plans to talk about the same basic themes that were discussed in his past two speeches: government accountability, the economy, education and quality of life.

The 44-year-old Republican said he's most proud of provoking a different sense of thinking to make state government run more efficiently.

"Before you can actually change anything, you've got to be able to change attitudes," Sanford said Tuesday while sitting on a sofa in his office, feet propped up on the coffee table.

He admits he can make mistakes, but is confident in his approach. For example, he points out the executive state spending plan that he's given to lawmakers at the start of each session.

"It's the first operational budget from the executive branch in the history of the state of South Carolina," Sanford said.

Sanford's budget splits all of what state government does into 1,552 separate programs, which is a new approach to the way state spending plans usually are handled. It was his way of deciding how the state should spend money and cut duplication of services.

It's part of his plan to strengthen the executive branch.

"The real decision of any political process is how much you spend and what you spend it on," he said. "If you're not a part of that decision you do have a seat in the bleachers."

Francis Marion University political scientist Neal Thigpen said it's time for Sanford to use Wednesday's speech to show he's serious about his legislative agenda, which the governor calls "Contract for Change."

"He needs to be aggressive on three or four or five big items that he's been pushing since he took office," Thigpen said.

Sanford has called for reducing the state's income tax and restructuring government, lawsuit reform and school choice.

The governor has one political victory this year. He successfully convinced lawmakers to change the rules in the Senate, where much of the governor's favored legislation has died the past two years.

He used an unconventional tactic to get lawmakers' attention last year with the threat of suing the GOP-controlled Legislature to curb the practice of loading bills with amendments. Sanford knows it led to a rough-and-tumble relationship with lawmakers, but "both sides are working to build some bridges," he said.

Thigpen said the success of Sanford's legislative agenda likely won't hurt his popularity among his constituents.

"They like big accomplishments, but they don't hold it against them when there isn't," he said about past governors.