Salon.com > Elizabeth Colbert-Busch

Anti-Colbert Busch push polls reported in South Carolina

Wed, 01 May 2013 16:05:00 +0000

South Carolina's special election just got a little bit dirtier, with a conservative group reportedly using push polls -- phone calls disguised as polls, but aimed at influencing voters -- to dissuade voters from supporting Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch.

According to ThinkProgress, multiple individuals in the state have reported receiving phone calls from the shady conservative group “SSI Polling," which claims to be polling on the race between Colbert Busch and Mark Sanford, but does not mention Sanford at all in the calls.

According to ThinkProgress, some of the questions were:

Colbert Busch goes there in debate with Sanford

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:44:00 +0000

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Republican Mark Sanford and Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch planned to hit the campaign trail a day after a spirited debate in their race for a vacant congressional seat along the South Carolina coast.

"I rocked it," Colbert Busch said following Monday's 75-minute debate before an audience of about 500 at The Citadel, which was telecast on C-SPAN. Sanford, a former two-term governor trying to revive a political career damaged by an extramarital affair, said he would let the pundits decide who won.

With Election Day just a week away, both have separate appearances Tuesday, then appear before a Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce group on the city's waterfront before attending a forum sponsored by the Goose Creek NAACP. During both appearances, the candidates will address attendees but won't debate.

They did debate Monday, before a lively audience where supporters frequently broke into shouts or applause.

Early on, Colbert Busch, the sister of political satirist Stephen Colbert, reminded Sanford that he once used taxpayer funds to "leave the country for a personal purpose" - referring to the extramarital affair with an Argentine woman he had while governor. In general, Colbert Busch has refused to bring up Sanford's personal past during the campaign.

Poll: Sanford trails Colbert-Busch by nine points

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:59:00 +0000

A new poll from the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling finds that Mark Sanford is now trailing his Democratic opponent Elizabeth Colbert-Busch by nine points, by a margin of 50-41 percent.

From the poll:

Colbert Busch's lead is on the rise for several reasons. She has a 51/35 advantage with independents. She's winning over 19% of Republicans, while losing just 7% of Democrats. And it also seems that after last week's revelations about Sanford that a lot of GOP voters are planning to just stay at home- while the district supported Mitt Romney by 18 points last fall, those planning to turn out for the special election voted for him by only a 5 point spread.

Last week's revelations involve the reportedly multiple complaints filed by Jenny Sanford, Mark Sanford's ex-wife, accusing him of trespassing and violating the terms of their divorce.

National Dems attack Sanford with “Appalachian Trail” ad

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:36:00 +0000

National Democrats have waded into Mark Sanford's congressional race, launching an attack ad that references the "Appalachian Trail" and Sanford's affair during his time as governor of South Carolina.

The ad, called "A Walk," shows someone hiking through the woods, meant to signify "hiking the Appalachian Trail," or what Sanford staffers said he was doing when he disappeared from the state in 2009 and went to Argentina for an affair. Sanford "walked out on us, violated our trust, secretly used thousands of taxpayer dollars flying to Argentina and then lied about it," the ad says.

"Sanford paid the largest ethics fine in state history. Now he wants our trust again? Maybe Mark Sanford should just keep walking," it continues.

Mark Sanford’s ex-wife accuses him of trespassing

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:12:00 +0000

Former governor Mark Sanford will appear in court for two days after his ex-wife accused him of trespassing, according to a complaint obtained by the Associated Press.

From the AP:

The complaint says Jenny Sanford confronted Sanford leaving her Sullivans Island home on Feb. 3 by a rear door, using his cell phone for a flashlight. Her attorney filed the complaint the next day and Jenny Sanford confirmed Tuesday the documents are authentic.

The couple's 2010 divorce settlement says neither may enter the other's home without permission. Mark Sanford lives about a 20-minute drive away in downtown Charleston.

Mark Sanford: Stephen Colbert’s not on the ticket

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:09:00 +0000

After winning a runoff race for the Republican nomination for Congress in South Carolina, former Gov. Mark Sanford said he's not worried that his Democratic opponent, Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, has the backing of her famous brother.

"Well, you know, at the end of the day, Stephen Colbert's a very popular, you know, well-regarded comedian, but at the end of the day he's not on the ticket," Sanford said on MSNBC on Wednesday, according to TPM.

Addressing an internal poll from Colbert-Busch's campaign that shows her with a slight lead, Sanford said: "[W]e're going to have a debate about ideas, and I think that when people really begin to digest those ideas, some real strong contrasts in terms of where she would be vs. where I would be, I think that will substantially change a poll that I think now simply defines name and ID as people know it, not issue ID. And I think ultimately debates in campaigns are decided on issues."

It’s on: Sanford to face Colbert Busch for South Carolina House seat

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:40:00 +0000

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (AP) — The race for a vacant South Carolina congressional seat has turned into the big-name contest that political junkies were hoping for.

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, a Republican trying to make a comeback after his political career was derailed by his admission of an extramarital affair, faces Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch, the sister of political satirist Stephen Colbert, in a May 7 special election.

Sanford defeated former Charleston County Councilman Curtis Bostic in the GOP primary runoff Tuesday, clearing another hurdle in his quest for political redemption. He finished first last month in a 16-candidate field in the primary in the state's 1st Congressional District, which runs northeast along the coast from Hilton Head Island through Charleston and to the Georgetown County line.

Colbert Busch — who once worked in Washington as an intern for then-U.S. Senator Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, D-S.C. — has had a lifelong dream of running for public office. The businesswoman has said jobs is a top priority for her campaign. Colbert Busch has worked in the shipping industry for years and is now on a leave of absence from her position as the director of business development for Clemson University's Wind Turbine Drive Testing Facility.

Colbert to hold two fundraisers for his sister’s campaign

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:21:00 +0000

Stephen Colbert will hold two fundraisers to raise money for his sister's campaign for Congress in South Carolina, in which she will likely face former Gov. Mark Sanford.

Politico reports:

An event in Washington featuring the Comedy Central host is scheduled for April 15, while Colbert and former investment banker Sallie Krawcheck will host a New York City event April 23; that event will be at Krawcheck’s home.

For the D.C. event, a minimum donation of $2,600 is required to attend the private reception, while general admission tickets to the fundraiser cost $500.

Elizabeth Colbert Busch wins S.C. primary

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:28:00 +0000

Mark Sanford says he believes in "a God of second chances," and now the former South Carolina governor has taken the first step toward reviving a political career that was derailed by an extramarital affair.

Elizabeth Colbert Busch, the sister of political satirist Stephen Colbert, always dreamed of a career in politics — and now she has a chance to realize that dream.

As Sanford advanced Tuesday night to an April 2 GOP runoff for an open congressional seat in a southern coastal district, Colbert Busch easily won the Democratic primary to earn a spot on the May 7 general election ballot.

The race has drawn national attention because of Sanford's well-known fall from grace and Colbert Busch's relationship to Stephen Colbert, who parodies a conservative political commentator as host of TV's "The Colbert Report."

Colbert Busch swamped perennial candidate Ben Frasier on Tuesday to win the Democratic nomination for the seat vacated by Tim Scott, who was appointed to the U.S. Senate to replace fellow Republican Jim DeMint, now head of The Heritage Foundation.

Colbert backs his sister

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:47:00 +0000

Stephen Colbert broke character to chat with CNN's Jake Tapper about his sister's bid for Congress in South Carolina, which will hold its primaries on Tuesday.

Elizabeth Colbert-Busch is running against two other Democrats in the primary, and if she wins she will likely face off with favored Republican candidate, former Gov. Mark Sanford.

Colbert said that "this is the first" time he's actually gotten involved in an election, and that he has been breaking character to help his sister campaign. "She's my sister, and I'm willing to break the jewel of my own creation to try to do something for her. I'm not worried about what it'll do to my show."

He added, "I don't care" if people object to his involvement.

Tapper also asked Colbert about Mark Sanford, who is likely to win the Republican nomination. "Mark Sanford is favored," Colbert said. "The former governor of the Appalachian Trail." He added: "I will make jokes about it. I said, 'Lulu, if you do something funny I will make jokes about you.'"

Stephen Colbert’s sister will run for the same seat as Mark Sanford

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 21:15:00 +0000

Cue your "Colbert bump" jokes, because Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, Stephen Colbert's sister, officially filed to run for Congress on Tuesday.

Colbert-Busch, a Democrat who now works for Clemson University's Wind Turbine Drivetrain Testing Facility, filed to run for the South Carolina seat vacated by Tim Scott, who was appointed to the Senate to fill Jim DeMint's seat.

She faces two potential challengers in the Democratic primary, and, if she wins, could face former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford in the general election.

Sanford, who left office in disgrace after his affair came to light in 2009, announced he will run last week, and faces Teddy Turner, the son of media mogul Ted Turner, as well as "five current and former GOP state lawmakers, a local sheriff and a Charleston city councilman," according to the Washington Post.

Turner already released a 30-second ad last week, the first in the race so far, as part of a 10-day ad buy costing $60,000.

Watch:

The primaries will be held on March 19, and the general election is set for May 7, according to the National Journal.

Salon.com > Elizabeth Colbert-Busch

Anti-Colbert Busch push polls reported in South Carolina

Colbert Busch goes there in debate with Sanford

Poll: Sanford trails Colbert-Busch by nine points

National Dems attack Sanford with “Appalachian Trail” ad

More problems for Mark Sanford

Mark Sanford’s ex-wife accuses him of trespassing

Mark Sanford: Stephen Colbert’s not on the ticket

It’s on: Sanford to face Colbert Busch for South Carolina House seat

Colbert to hold two fundraisers for his sister’s campaign

Elizabeth Colbert Busch wins S.C. primary

Colbert backs his sister

Stephen Colbert’s sister will run for the same seat as Mark Sanford