Will South Carolina Republicans Vote Strategically Tuesday?

Sanford's not even good enough for these two charlatans

Ole Man-on-Dog Santorum was down in South Carolina's first congressional district all last week, campaigning for little known former Charleston city councilman Curtis Bostic, who came in a distant second (with 13%) in the Republican primary and will face off against former Governor/former Congressman Mark Sanford (37%). More accurately, of course, is that Santorum was down in South Carolina campaigning against Sanford. I doubt Santorum gives a damn that Sanford was caught cheating on his wife-- in a spectacular, scandalous way-- as much as he's worrying that if Sanford wins the runoff, Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch could wind up winning a very red district in the May 7 general election. Keep in mind that although Obama only managed to get 39% of the vote in November and that then-Congressman Tim Scott (R) was reelected with 62%, it was just a few years ago that Democrat Linda Ketner almost beat long-time incumbent Henry Brown (R) 177,540 (52%)- 163,724 (48%).

Normal voters in a general election might shy away from a character like Sanford-- who isn't just an adulterer but was widely considered one of the most corrupt governors in South Carolina's history-- but the GOP primary voters... they thrive on this kind of thing. This is the Party of The Culture of Personal Crisis. Failing ethically and morally is a positive if you mock Jesus loudly enough in your disingenuous public repentance-- and the more lurid the failing, the more these evangelical suckers are likely to be taken in. That's why Sanford may well win the runoff Tuesday and lose then lose the actually election when independents and Democrats will also be voting.

In their debate Thursday, Bostic said Sanford's infidelity has made him a "compromised candidate" who could lose the seat to Colbert's sister. "We will lose this and lose it because of this issue of trust," he predicted... Democrats are excited at the possibility of taking this seat back."

Desperate to hit back, Sanford accused Bostic of missing votes on the city council, but the accusations fell flat since many in the city remember that Bostic missed the votes while he was at his wife's bedside while she was suffering with cancer-- a horrible contrast for Sanford, who missed his work as governor when he was off tangoing in Buenos Aires with his mistress. One of Sanford's most vicious mouthpieces in this race, FitsNews, has also accused ex-marine Bostic of supporting human trafficking or some kind of crazy right-wing nonsense they usually reserve for Democrats.

The redemption meme may have been at least partially neutered Friday when Bostic was endorsed by James Dobson, who plays the role of judging whether or not politicians' apologies have been accepted by Heaven. Like Ann Coulter, he endorsed Bostic, a very big deal among right-wing primary voters in the fevered Confederate swamplands. Coulter, who refers to Mark Sanford as "the Todd Akin of South Carolina:"

You would think Akin would stand in history to teach Republicans to stop giving away winnable seats by running ridiculous candidates. Alas, no.

What's next? A Republican candidate whose campaign consists exclusively of demanding vaginal probes and discussing different types of rape?

If, in some horrible twist of fate that's been stalking Republicans, Sanford wins the runoff, he will lose the general election. Worse, he might win, making Republicans look like utter hypocrites on family values.

In any event, so many resources will have to be diverted to save an easy Republican House seat that even if Sanford wins, some other Republican candidate will lose a close election after having to beg for money.

And the payoff is: Yay! We win one of the most Republican districts in the country with a high-risk candidate!

The Republican Party owes Sanford nothing. He had a chance and he blew it. National Review wasted five years of cover stories on how awesome he was, but he never accomplished anything of substance.

He showed off about getting his hair done at Super Cuts, sleeping in his office in Congress and not turning on the air conditioning in the governor's mansion. He wore the same pair of shoes for 30 years-- they've been re-soled 70 times!

Big deal. He saved taxpayers $300 in petty cash, but he didn't implement any lasting reforms. The most memorable thing Sanford did in his entire life was to make himself a laughingstock as governor by running off with his Argentine honey and then going on TV to announce-- in front of his wife and children-- "I've fallen in love!"

Republicans need to be like Luca Brasi and tell Sanford: "You screwed up; we didn't do anything to you. Have fun, I'm sure Maria's fantastic, but you can't run for Congress."

Dobson described Bostic as "steadfast in supporting traditional marriage and defending the unborn child, matters of preeminent importance at this crucial hour in our nation's history." Bostic also nabbed the endorsement of an extremist Republican Women's anti-Choice group, Concerned Women for America PAC. "The decision," they exulted, "that he and his wife, Jenny, made to embrace their faith, disregard medical advice, and have their fifth child clearly shows that Curtis honors his commitments and stands in strong contrast to Mark Sanford's abandonment of his core principles."

UPDATE: Does Anyone Care What Henry Brown Says?

Bostic has been promising a game changing endorsement. Apparently it was former Congressman Henry Brown. The district was different when Brown was congressman and he was nearly defeated by a Democrat and then retired rather than face a primary from the Tea Party. “I’ve known Curtis and his family for many years, and know him to be a man of integrity and principle. He is the best choice for District 1,” said Brown.