Mark Sanford Just Won The GOP Runoff In South Carolina, And Now Has To Face Off Against Stephen Colbert's Sister

APFormer South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford — whose political career was thought to have ended with his Appalachian Trail fib four years ago — began his comeback Tuesday night, winning the Republican nomination in the race for the state's 1st Congressional District, the Associated Press reports.

Sanford will now face off in a general election contest against Democratic nominee Elizabeth Colbert Busch, the sister of faux-conservative comedian Stephen Colbert.

Early polls indicate that the race will be close. Although South Carolina's 1st district is very conservative, Colbert Busch appears to have a real chance of pulling off an upset, due, in part, to her national name recognition.

“I look forward to a vigorous campaign that focuses on creating jobs, balancing our country’s budget and choosing an independent-minded leader who shares the values of the great people of South Carolina,” Colbert Busch said in a statement shortly after Sanford's win.

Democrats are also likely to benefit from Sanford's unsavory past — namely, the highly-publicized 2009 revelation of an extramarital affair with a woman in Argentina, which came to light when he disappeared from the governor's office for several days. Aides told the press Sanford had gone for a solitary hike on the Appalachian Trail, when in reality, he was visiting his mistress. Sanford, now divorced, is engaged to his former mistress.