Ben Carson will see Pope Francis on Thursday when the pontiff addresses a joint session of Congress as the guest of South Carolina Rep. Mark Sanford, the congressman’s office confirmed.
Sanford has not formerly endorsed a candidate for president. He told CNN two weeks ago at a Marco Rubio event in North Charleston that “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Right now I’m listening and learning.”
Sanford, who was formerly governor of the first-in-the-South primary state, has been active in the 2016 presidential bidding process in his home state. He has attended events in his district, which includes parts of Charleston, for Rubio, John Kasich, and former presidential hopeful Rick Perry. He introduced Rand Paul on stage during a Concerned Veterans for America town hall.
He was complimentary of Rubio when he visited, adding, “He’s an incredibly skillful communicator and I think that matters in expressing and advancing public policy.”
He has not been shying away from the media, either, regularly taking questions from reporters at events, most recently speaking to the press during current Gov. Nikki Haley’s forum on Friday that she hosted with Heritage Action Forum. Carson was a guest speaker at the event.
The pope will address members of Congress at 10 a.m.