Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford Mark SanfordOn The Money: Business world braces for blue sweep | Federal Reserve chief to outline plans for inflation, economy | Meadows 'not optimistic' about stalemate on coronavirus deal Trump critic Sanford forms anti-debt advocacy group Republicans officially renominate Trump for president MORE (R) emphasized on Wednesday that it "carries real weight" for Republicans to speak out against President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE while in office, citing the recent exits of a number of notable Republican lawmakers.

"For a while he [Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamLincoln Project mocks Lindsey Graham's fundraising lag with Sarah McLachlan-themed video The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election Trump dumbfounds GOP with latest unforced error MORE (R-S.C.)] was vociferous against the president. He has now done backflips in the opposite direction based on — being fairly transparent, saying this is the cost of admission, I want to stay in the game," Sanford told The Hill's Julia Manchester on "NH Today with Jack Heath."

"A lot of people look at the fact that [former Sen. Bob] Corker [R-Tenn.] and [Former Sen. Jeff] Flake [R-Ariz.] are gone, they look at that I'm gone. If you speak up against this president while in office, it carries real weight," he continued.

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Sanford, who ended his longshot 2020 bid to unseat Trump on Tuesday, was referring to how Senate Republicans would handle articles of impeachment against Trump if he is impeached in the Democratic-controlled House.

The former governor also cited former Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsRoy Moore sues Alabama over COVID-19 restrictions GOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs MORE's recent Senate campaign ad praising Trump, and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley Nimrata (Nikki) Haley'The soul' versus 'law and order' Author Ryan Girdusky: RNC worked best when highlighting 'regular people' as opposed to 'standard Republicans' GOP lobbyists pleasantly surprised by Republican convention MORE's new book defending the president as signs of loyalty in the party's upper ranks.

"Look at the Jeff Sessions ad. If you haven't seen it yet, it is remarkable. This guy was beaten to death by the president, and yet he runs an ad that's basically a suck up ad to the president," Sanders said. "If you look at Nikki Haley's book, it's really signaling to the president that 'I'm on your team.' I mean, it's just one thing after another."

Twenty Republican senators would be needed to secure a guilty verdict in the upper chamber.

Sanford said "there is no way" 20 Republicans would defect.

The House impeachment inquiry will enter its public phase on Wednesday with the first televised hearings set to air on television.

Democrats in the lower chamber are investigating whether Trump tied aid to Ukraine to the country opening an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE and his son Hunter Biden.