Viewpolitik is the brainchild of Columbia, S.C. native Will Folks, the rock-n-roll bass player turned campaign spokesman, lead designer, copywriter and later Press Secretary to South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford.

On November 5, 2002, Sanford defeated incumbent Governor Jim Hodges with 53% of the vote - becoming only the third challenger to unseat an incumbent in state history. Four months earlier, Sanford shocked the political establishment in South Carolina by capturing the Republican nomination against a formidable array of primary candidates that included a sitting Lt. Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of State. Sanford finished first in a seven-way Republican primary on June 11, 2002 before soundly defeating Lt. Governor Bob Peeler with 60% of the vote in the Republican runoff on June 25, 2002.

After taking office, Gov. Sanford's popularity among voters soared as his fiscally- conservative message of cutting taxes, eliminating waste, slowing government growth and reforming an outdated political structure resonated in all corners of South Carolina.

Prior to his service with Gov. Sanford, Folks was a featured sports writer, professional musician and contributing newspaper columnist in Columbia, S.C. Folks received his Bachelor's degree in History and Philosophy from the University of South Carolina in 1997 and his Master's degree in Mass Communication from the school's College of Journalism in 1999.

E-mail Will Folks: w@viewpolitik.com