Mark Souder: Another One Bites The Dust

Indiana congressman Mark Souder (R) will resign his seat after an affair with a staffer came to light. Souder, 59, and his wife, Diana, have been married for more than 35 years and have three adult children.


The congressman has touted himself as a family values conservative, saying the following on his congressional website: "I believe that Congress must fight to uphold the traditional values that undergird the strength of our nation. The family plays a fundamental role in our society."

Souder joins a succession of Members of Congress embroiled in sex scandals in recent years, including Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.), Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) and Sen. David Vitter (R-La.). Massa resigned, while Ensign and Vitter are still serving in the Senate.

Souder was elected in the GOP wave election of 1994. He represents the Fort Wayne area in northeast Indiana. The revelations regarding Souder come two weeks after he survived a serious primary challenge from car dealer Bob Thomas who spent considerable sums of his own money on the race. Souder won the primary with less than 50 percent of the vote.