Colbert’s sister to seek South Carolina House seat

Stephen Colbert sometimes jokes about running for political office in his native South Carolina. One of his older sisters is doing it.

Elizabeth Colbert-Busch will seek the Democratic nomination in the vacant 1st Congressional District in and around Charleston, said Amanda Loveday, executive director of the state Democratic Party.

Colbert-Busch will file candidacy papers on Jan. 22, Loveday said in an interview. Colbert-Busch is director of Business Development for the Wind Turbine Testing Facility, which is an office of Clemson University in Charleston, said Loveday.

Her brother, who anchors Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” attracted attention during the 2012 elections by forming a super-political action committee and announcing on his program that he would explore running for “president of the United States of South Carolina.”

Republican Tim Scott vacated the 1st District seat on Jan. 2 to accept an appointment to the Senate.

The district votes Republican, and several state legislators are seeking the seat along with Mark Sanford, a former congressman and governor who suffered a scandal while serving in the state’s top elected job after his affair with an Argentine woman became public.

Primary elections are scheduled for March 19, followed by runoff elections on April 2 if necessary. The special election will be held May 7.