Sometimes life proves that God has a sense of humor.
When Governor Nikki Haley (R-S.C.) appointed Representative Tim Scott (R-S.C.) to replace Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), it triggered a special election to find Scott’s replacement, and the race has received the usual excess of attention that special elections do. The seat is an otherwise safely conservative one, but each side can put all hands on deck to get their candidate in office. Within the past few years, special elections have produced head-scratching results in New York, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Michigan.
To add to the usual hype, this race boasted one of the craziest lists of candidates since Hank the Cat ran for Virginia senator. Former Gov. Mark Sanford (of Argentina disappearing act fame) threw his hat in the ring for the Republican nod, which prompted much speculation that his ex-wife Jenny Sanford might run as well. She turned down the opportunity, but the Republican primary still included Teddy Turner—son of liberal media mogul Ted Turner—and a slew of Tea Party Republicans, each entertaining in their own right.
On the Democratic side, another mouthwateringly entertaining candidate sprouted up: Elizabeth Colbert Busch. In her own right, she is merely an impressive Clemson University administrator, but she is also the sister of comedian Stephen Colbert.
Sanford, Turner, and Colbert Busch each had to talk their way away from their personal family histories, but it worked: Colbert Busch cruised to the Democratic nomination, and today’s polling shows that Sanford should win his run-off (Turner had a solid third place showing). American voters, or at least those in S.C.-1, don’t seem to care too much about a checkered family resume—the name recognition might even have been helpful.
The general election looks to be a toss-up, which only spells good news for those of us salivating for the coming late night comedy. Stephen Colbert, master of political stunts, has shown zero reservations about influencing the race. With super PACs willing to pour money into one of the few campaigns going on, this race will be intriguing.
And we could finally get a Colbert into Congress.
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