When Moakley (Boston rep) died, Steve Lynch (D) ran for his seat and won. His opponents (R and D) tried to play up the fact that he had been arrested back in -- I think -- the late 70s. (Even one poster on FR complained that he had no respect for First-amendment rights!)
His offense? He had done his best to punch out the lights of an Iranian flag-burner. As Howie Carr pointed out in his column, after 9/11, what better achievement could you have on your resume? (Here in Boston, where 90% at least of the Republicans are country-club, Rockefeller RINOs -- or at best wimps like Romney, oftentimes the most conservative candidate is a Dem!)