Stephen Colbert's Sister Runs for Congress in South Carolina House Race

Comedian and faux-conservative pundit Stephen Colbert may not have been appointed as a senator from South Carolina, but his sister hopes she can make it to Congress when he could not.

"Elizabeth Colbert-Busch -- a.k.a. Stephen Colbert's big sister -- shook things up in South Carolina Friday, with the news that she will seek the House seat that was recently vacated by Sen. Tim Scott," writes National Public Radio.

"The field already includes former Gov. Mark Sanford, who is attempting to repair his scandal-damaged political career."

Sanford is the former governor of South Carolina, who political career fell apart after he disappeared for a week while in office and was later found to be having an extramarital affair with a woman in Argentina.

Colbert-Busch will need to defeat Martin Skelley, a millionaire who has already loaned his campaign $250,000 of his private fortune, in the Democratic primary on Mar. 19.

Then she will face either Sanford or Teddy Tuner, son of media mogul Ted Turner in the election on May 7.

"She does have a famous brother, but she has a great story to tell," said Colbert-Busch's new campaign manager, Bill Romjue. "She's a very successful woman."

According to the Chicago Tribune, "Colbert-Busch is director of business development for the Clemson University Restoration Institute, which is building a wind turbine drivetrain testing facility in North Charleston, South Carolina."

"She was previously director of regional sales and marketing for the South Atlantic and Mexico for Orient Overseas Container Line, one of the world's largest integrated international container transportation, logistics and terminal companies and a subsidiary of Orient Overseas International Limited," said the Tribune.

While there's no word yet from Stephen Colbert himself on his sister's campaign, he's bound to mention it on his Comedy Central news show "The Colbert Report."

Colbert has a habit of stepping as far into politics as he can get away with according to the letter of the law. He makes a show of exploiting loopholes in election law to expose possible fraud and the excess influence of money in politics.

During the 2012 presidential campaign, Colbert started both a political action committee and a super-PAC, the shadier version of the fundraising vehicle.

He supported a mock run for office by Herman Cain, who had already dropped out.

If Colbert can use his late-night pulpit to provide publicity for his sister's campaign, he will. The family is close, and Colbert is a tireless, if sometimes subtle advocate for liberal causes.