Inc.: Sanford doesn’t help entrepreneurs

A national business magazine has ranked Gov. Mark Sanford as the worst incumbent governor in the nation for promoting entrepreneurs and said the Republican’s “policies have negatively affected entrepreneurs.”

Sanford’s campaign manager dismissed Inc. magazine’s ranking as liberal bias and said the magazine chose to give “kudos to governors who have pushed for massive tax hikes and big-government health-care plans.”

Of the 26 governors facing re-election, Sanford was the only one given a one-star rating. The four governors who received four stars, the highest ranking, were: Janet Napolitano of Arizona, Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, Bill Richardson of New Mexico and Jim Douglas of Vermont. All but Douglas are Democrats.

State Sen. Tommy Moore, the Aiken Democrat challenging Sanford, said the ranking amplified problems in the state.

“The Inc. magazine ranking affirms that we must solve the underlying problems we have in education and health care to create a work force that attracts new high-wage jobs,” Moore said.

Staff writer Aaron Gould Sheinin and The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News contributed.