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No live thread yet, so I'm starting one. Voted at 2:30 p.m. in Mt Pleasant 19. No line. Poll worker reported 28.3% turnout so far in a precinct that had a 66% turnout in the last major election. Results should be here after the polls close.

Have liberals already conceded defeat in today's South Carolina special election? Though polls show the race a true toss-up, some Democrats are attacking not just Republicans, but smearing the entire state as well. During today's Stephanie Miller Show, guest Charlie Pierce of Esquire Magazine slammed the Palmetto State as "tribal", "a cult" and the ultimate dig, "religious"! From the program: [video] STEPHANIE MILLER (07 May 2013): The cogent point in your headline “South Carolina is still South Carolina. JIM WARD: Ha ha ha ha! STEPHANIE MILLER: Obviously the latest poll had Mark Sanford ahead, right? CHARLIE PIERCE: And you know...

Mark Sanford (R) vs. Elizabeth Colbert Busch (D). The special election is for the seat occupied by Tim Scott, who was appointed to the Senate to fill Jim DeMint's seat. South Carolina State Electoral Commission

A special good morning to my liberal friends who thought they might win in SC-01, but lost. Now, I know you are in high dudgeons today about the GOP and family values and Mark Sanford. But let's just start with a reality check — Mark Sanford may have cheated on his wife, but your hero Teddy Kennedy killed a lady. Good morning! Mark Sanford has won the special election in South Carolina’s first congressional district. He was abandoned by much of the South Carolina congressional delegation. He was abandoned by the NRCC and its fundraising. The Democrats outspent him by...

CHARLOTTE (CBS Charlotte) – Angry about his sister’s congressional election loss to Mark Sanford, Stephen Colbert did the logical thing – and declared Sanford his new sister

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Former Republican South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford revived a scandal-scarred political career by winning back his old congressional seat Tuesday in a district that hasn't elected a Democrat in three decades. The comeback was complete when he defeated Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch, the sister of political satirist Stephen Colbert. With 87 percent of the precincts reporting, Sanford had 54 percent of the vote. Sanford, who turns 53 later this month, has never lost a race in three runs for Congress and two for governor. And he said before the votes were counted Tuesday that if he lost...

Dave Wasserman ‏@Redistrict 5m It's over: Sanford wins. #SC01 Retweeted by Jay Cost and 1 other

Name one thing Elizabeth Busch stands for Yesterday, a person asked me what I thought of "Stephen Colbert's sister's" chances of winning "that congressional seat she is running for." I responded that they were decent because her likely opponent (former Gov. Mark Sanford had yet to win his runoff) has a lot of baggage. I paused, then asked why this person cared. "Because I like Stephen Colbert and dislike people that cheat on their wives." Fair enough, I suppose. But as I reflected on the comment, it dawned on me that despite the fact that following politics is literally my...

With less than a month to go until a high profile special election to fill a vacant congressional seat in South Carolina, things are heating up. Democratic nominee Elizabeth Colbert Busch, the sister of satirist and Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert, Tuesday released her first ad of the general election campaign. Her Republican opponent, former Gov. Mark Sanford, whose political career was sidetracked back in 2009 thanks to a well-publicized affair, was quick to respond and criticize Colbert Busch, and he also accepted invitations to four debates between now and the May 7 contest. "I'm Elizabeth Colbert Busch, and as...

While The History Channel's miniseries "The Bible" continues to garner millions of viewers every week, one comedian has opted to poke fun at the program. Comedy Central satirist Stephen Colbert, known for his faux conservative program "The Colbert Report," had a segment Monday evening about the miniseries and its production team. "The Word of God, the story of all creation, doesn't really have the legs to sustain an entire series; unlike The History Channel's Big Shrimpin,'" quipped Colbert. He also talked about Roma Downey, co-producer of the miniseries, being cast for the role of the Virgin Mary. "Wow, I wonder...

The speculation for the 2014 elections has already begun, and some of the Senate names being discussed you would expect to see on the silver screen rather than a ballot. Can you imagine a Sen. Ashley Judd? How about Sen. Stephen Colbert? There's a long, and somewhat checkered history of celebrity politicians proving that Hollywood success can pave the road to Washington--Ronald Reagan being the ultimate example. Of course there are other examples as well, like the Govenator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura who wrestled his way to governor of Minnesota. When celebrities become candidates, their notoriety brings...

This is fun for a Friday. Gov. Nikki Haley is now deciding who will take Sen. Jim DeMint's (R-SC) place when he leaves the Senate to head up The Heritage Foundation. Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert tops the list of preferred appointments with South Carolinians, according to a PPP poll: Colbert tops the wish list of who South Carolina voters would like to see join that body at 20%, followed by Tim Scott at 15%, Trey Gowdy at 14%, Jenny Sanford at 11%, Henry McMaster and Mark Sanford at 8%, Jeff Duncan and Joe Wilson at 5%, and Mick Mulvaney...

Nikki Haley is one of the most unpopular Governors in the country. Only 42% of voters approve of the job she's doing to 49% who disapprove. Out of 43 sitting Governors PPP has polled on, that ranks her 35th in popularity. Haley has pretty solid numbers within her own party. 70% of Republicans approve of the job she's doing to 22% who disapprove. But with Democrats (15/78 approval) and independents (28/57) her numbers are pretty woeful. There is a path back to popularity for Haley though: appointing Stephen Colbert to replace Jim DeMint in the Senate. Colbert tops the wish...

A Democratic congresswoman from Brooklyn appears to believe that slavery existed in her district until 1898. Against the advice of her party’s leadership, Rep. Yvette Clarke appeared on “The Colbert Report” on Tuesday for one of host Stephen Colbert’s occasional “Better Know a District” segments. After getting in a few digs at Brooklyn, Colbert asked Clarke, who is currently serving her third term in the House, what she would say to her district if she could go back to 1898 in a time machine. “Set me free!” Clarke said. “From?” Colbert asked. “Slavery.” Trying to hold back his laughter, Colbert...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Faux news host Stephen Colbert isn't the only comedian with a super PAC connection. Political satirist Bill Maher got into the act Thursday night, pledging $1 million to a political committee supporting President Barack Obama.

Comedian Stephen Colbert really wants a piece of the South Carolina primary, and no organizational obstacle will stop him from seizing it. Originally, his list of desires was long: He wanted the entire primary named after him (“The Colbert Super PAC South Carolina Republican Primary”), he wanted his name to actually appear on the ballot and he wanted the ballot to also feature a Colbert original referendum question, “Are corporations people or are only people people?” To make all of this happen, he offered the state GOP $500,000 — but, surprisingly, the state party refused. The referendum question, I guess,...

NBC Chief White House Correspondent Chuck Todd is no fan of comedian Stephen Colbert's efforts to take part in Saturday's SC GOP presidential primary and how the media is covering the Charleston native's "exploratory campaign." "But what he's doing now, with the campaign -- is that fair to the process?" Todd continued. "Yes, the process is a mess. But he's doing it in a way that it feels as if he's trying to influence it with his own agenda that may be anti-Republican. And is that fair to the Republican Party?" Todd said Colbert and his Comedy Central satirical news...

Late-night comedians historically have relished the opportunity to poke fun at politicians. Sometimes they savage them. In the Obama era, they haven't been so enthusiastic about any of it. A recent study of political jokes on three late-night shows (Letterman, Leno and Jimmy Fallon) by the Center for Media and Public Affairs found that Barack Obama's joke count is "substantially lower than any other president." Some of the Obama jokes are actually bipartisan slams. Jimmy Fallon joked, "Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton are more mature than President Obama and John Boehner." This is the classic comedian's pose, and the safe...

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Stephen Colbert “super PAC” is now officially legitimate: it’s running an attack ad. In a 60-second commercial that is being broadcast on the CBS station here, Mr. Colbert’s super PAC calls Mitt Romney a serial killer. Yes, you read that correctly. “Mitt Romney has a secret,” says the announcer, whose deep, distinctive voice people will recognize as John Lithgow’s. “As head of Bain Capital, he bought companies, carved them up and got rid of what he couldn’t use.” Recalling Mr. Romney’s remark that “corporations are people,” the commercial concludes, “He’s Mitt the Ripper.”

As his path to the Republican nomination for president looks increasingly impossible, former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer’s campaign is starting to mull a third-party run. Last week, Roemer campaign manager Carlos Sierra told The Daily Caller that while he had been exploring other possible options for his candidate, Roemer himself was still focused on the Republican primary. But on Wednesday Sierra suggested that Roemer is aware of his actions and was beginning to consider the idea. “The whole South Carolina and Florida thing — it’s definitely getting him thinking a little more about other options,” Sierra said.