Sanford advances to GOP runoff in House race in SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has advanced to a runoff in the Republican contest for an open congressional seat along the state's south coast.

Meanwhile, the sister of comedian Stephen Colbert (kohl-BEHR') has won the Democratic primary for the seat. Elizabeth Colbert Busch on Tuesday handily defeated perennial candidate Ben Frasier and will face the winner of the crowded GOP primary in the May 7 general election.

In early returns on Tuesday evening, it was unclear who Sanford would face in the April 2nd GOP runoff. Fifteen other Republicans were running. They include Teddy Turner, the son of media mogul Ted Turner.

Tuesday was Sanford's first political race since disappearing while governor in 2009 and then returning to admit an affair with an Argentine woman. They are now engaged.