Mark Sanford Ate Pigs Used To Protest Pork Barrel Spending

On Wednesday's edition of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," congressional candidate and former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) revealed the fate of Pork and Barrel, two pigs he used to protest pork barrel spending.

Sanford brought the pair of pigs to the South Carolina statehouse in 2004 to make a statement about what he considered excessive spending in the state budget.

"I think it's important to have a sense of humor at the same time that you're making what I think is a serious point about at least limiting pork barrel spending long enough to pay off this unconstitutional deficit," Sanford said at the time, according to WISTV.

During his "Morning Joe" appearance, Sanford admitted that the pigs had met their final resting place.

"Unfortunately, they were barbecued," Sanford said. "I hate to let you in on it."

On Tuesday, Sanford defeated fellow Republican Curtis Bostic in a runoff to win the GOP nomination for South Carolina's vacant congressional seat. Sanford will face Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch in a May 7 special election for the 1st District seat, which Sanford previously held for three terms.

"It's been a very long journey. And in that journey I am humbled to find ourselves where we find ourselves tonight," Sanford said of his nomination on Tuesday.

On Monday, an internal poll taken for Colbert Busch's campaign found the Democrat holding a slight edge over Sanford, 47 percent to 44 percent.

(h/t: Talking Points Memo)