South Carolina Voters Want Stephen Colbert For Senate, Poll Says

According to a new poll, the top choice of South Carolinians for a Senator to replace Jim DeMint is a guy who hosts a fake news show:

One-fifth of South Carolinians want late-night comedian Stephen Colbert to replace Jim DeMint in the Senate, according to a poll released Monday.

There are four candidates Gov. Nikki Haley could appoint to DeMint’s seat who have the support of at least 10 percent of Palmetto State voters, according to the Public Policy Polling survey. DeMint is leaving the Senate in January to run the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

Twenty percent want Colbert, a South Carolina native, while 15 percent hope Haley selects Rep. Tim Scott, 14 percent hope she chooses Rep. Trey Gowdy and 11 percent want her to appoint Jenny Sanford, the ex-wife of former governor Mark Sanford.

Colbert mainly benefits from being the favorite of a small number of Democrats and independents in a field of candidates filled with Republicans. Thirty-two percent of voters view him unfavorably, and only 30 percent have a favorable opinion. His support mostly comes from Democrats, 32 percent of whom want to see him in the Senate, and independents, where he gets 28 percent support. Only 6 percent of Republicans would welcome a Colbert appointment.

Last Thursday, Colbert asked his viewers to lobby South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for his appointment, which would last until 2014, when a special election could be held. Haley appeared to dismiss Colbert as a nominee on Friday, noting he failed to remember what the state’s official beverage was when she appeared on “The Colbert Report.”

This is mostly about name recognition, of course, and being South Carolina, it’s who Republicans support that really matters.

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Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. legion says:

    Between him and Franken, C-SPAN could become the best channel on TV…

  2. Rob in CT says:

    Get ColbertPac on it, stat.

  3. Barfour says:

    Colbert and Franken in the Senate. This could be a good idea. Politicians in washington needs a sense of humor.

  4. Gustopher says:

    Haley appeared to dismiss Colbert as a nominee on Friday, noting he failed to remember what the state’s official beverage was when she appeared on “The Colbert Report.”

    The state’s official beverage is an old fashioned made with alcohol distilled in a bathtub — you’re supposed to forget it after you’ve had it.

  5. mattb says:

    It’s an interesting situation for Colbert. Like Franken, clearly he’s interested in political action. The difference is that he’s still at a point in his career where he might have more to lose by going into politics than staying out (unlike Franken).

  6. john personna says:

    I think Colbert is smart enough to know that he has things pretty good where he is.

    A Senate seat his its perks, but you don’t get your name chanted by the audience 4 nights a week.

  7. just 'nutha ig'rant cracker says:

    It could be just that I am old. but I find it troubling that there are people who see the best qualified candidate for Senator in a niche-market cable TV network comedian (or a syndicated radio talk show host for that matter). I don’t know that any of the suggested short list candidates are any better choices for that matter, but…

  8. OzarkHillbilly says:

    @just ‘nutha ig’rant cracker:

    It could be just that I am old. but I find it troubling that there are people who see the best qualified candidate for Senator in a niche-market cable TV network comedian

    Well, seeing as it is S Carolina we are talking about, it gives me hope.

    @john personna:

    A Senate seat his its perks, but you don’t get your name chanted by the audience 4 nights a week.

    Imagine how much the Senate would rock every time he stood up to speak.

  9. SC_Birdflyte says:

    Minnesota has a comedian in the Senate and now other states want one too. This is probably one of those rare chances for my home state to be known for something other than scandals and lunkheadedness.