Stephen Colbert’s Sister Wins Democratic Primary For South Carolina Congressional Seat

Stephen Colbert’s sister has easily won the Democratic nomination for South Carolina’s first congressional seat on Tuesday, but political experts think will have a more difficult race ahead.

Elizabeth Colbert Busch won the primary over challenger Ben Frasier and will likely face a high-profile Republican in the general election. The leading candidate now appears to be Mark Sanford, the former governor of South Carolina who left office after a much publicized affair in 2009.

Sanford led the pack of Republican candidates in Tuesday’s primary and now must finish off a two-week runoff for the nomination.

Colbert’s sister does have the support of her Comedy Central host brother.

“As a broadcast journalist I am obligated to maintain objectivity,” the Comedy Central host said on his show. “It doesn’t matter that my sister is intelligent, hardworking, compassionate and dedicated to the people of South Carolina.”

He has also stumped for his sister in places other than his own show.

“I’m willing to, you know, break the jewel of my own creation to try to do something for her,” Stephen Colbert told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Monday.

Last month, Stephen Colbert hosted a fundraiser in South Carolina in another rare break of character.

“He talks about politics all the time, and he has stuck his toe in the waters of American politics, and occasionally his finger in the eye of American politics, but I have never actually supported any candidate before,” Colbert said of the character he portrays on his Comedy Central show. He added that if he didn’t support his sister, their 92-year-old mother would be very “disappointed.”

In his speech at the fundraiser, Colbert attacked Republicans for opposing “no-brainer” legislation like the Violence Against Women Act, Mediaite noted.

If Colbert’s sister wins the race, it will give the host of The Colbert Report a connection to a seat he once (sort of) sought. Fans of the show appealed to South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to appoint Colbert to a Senate seat left empty be the retirement of Jim DeMint, but she appointed Rep. Tim Scott instead. It is his seat that Colbert Busch is now seeking.