Ex-South Carolina Guv Mark Sanford announces 2020 Republican challenge to Trump

Mark Sanford, former South Carolina governor, on Sunday announced that he will launch a primary challenge to President Donald Trump for the 2020 Republican nomination.

The 59-year-old congressman is the third Republican to challenge Trump for the nomination.

"I'm here to tell you now that I am going to get in," he said on 'Fox News Sunday', The Hill reported.

"I think we need to have a conversation on what it means to be a Republican. As a Republican Party, we have lost our way," he added.

Sanford said he was worried about the government debt and deficit spending.

"We have got to have a national conversation and a Republican conversation on where are we going on debt and deficit," he remarked.

Asked whether he had a real chance to defeat Trump in 2020, Sanford said, "You never know."

A Trump critic, Sanford served as South Carolina governor for two terms from 2003 to 2011. He was accused by Trump over an extramarital affair which put his second gubernatorial term under a cloud.

Sanford had criticised Trump over several issues during the 2016 presidential polls but ultimately backed him. However, he has continued attacking the US President since then.

In April, former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld first announced his challenge to Trump in the Republican nomination. Last month, former Republican congressman Joe Walsh became the second person to challenge the US President.