Many Republicans “privately concede” former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R), who easily won a runoff last night, could hand a safe Republican House seat to Elizabeth Colbert Busch (D), Politico reports.

“Fellow GOP pols don’t like him. Neither do female voters.His campaign is largely an exercise in seeking forgiveness for his transgressions four years ago — a defensive crouch that makes it tricky to take the fight to Colbert Busch, the sister of late-night comedian Stephen Colbert.”

Charleston Post and Courier:
“The political race many had anticipated would unfold in the 1st
Congressional District — the national comedian’s sister versus the
once-disgraced governor angling for a comeback — is finally here.”

It’s worth noting that Public Policy Polling, which nailed the runoff result, found Colbert Busch leading Sanford by two points.

“Well, you know, at the end of the day, Stephen Colbert’s a very popular, you know, well-regarded comedian, but at the end of the day he’s not on the ticket.”

— Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R), interviewed on Morning Joe, saying the only thing voters know about his opponent, Elizabeth Colbert Busch (D), is that she is the sister of the late-night comedian.

Hillary Clinton returned to the public stage last night “for the opening scene in what many expect to be a carefully plotted performance concluding with another presidential try,” the Los Angeles Times reports.

“The high-profile venue: the Kennedy Center in the nation’s capital. Several dozen mostly student-age supporters of a Clinton presidential run rallied outside, brandishing blue-and-white ‘I’m Ready for Hillary’ placards. But the event inside was strictly nonpartisan: an awards gala for an international women’s rights organization that Clinton had helped create.”

New York Times:
“It was an evening without overt politics and yet Mrs. Clinton’s
appearance drew attention as she enters a period of deciding whether to
run for president again in 2016.”

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) “has cleared another hurdle in his bid for a political comeback, defeating a former county council member to win the GOP nomination for a vacant U.S. House seat,” the AP reports.

Roll Call: “It is unclear how difficult the path ahead will be for Sanford in the general election. Some South Carolina Republicans insist that this is a solidly conservative district and that the idea of a Democratic winner is unfathomable.”

But the Democratic nominee, Elizabeth Colbert Busch (D), released an internal poll that showed she had a narrow lead over Sanford, though Stu Rothenberg is skeptical.

President Obama “doesn’t plan to weigh in on the Los Angeles mayoral race because it pits two Democrats against each other,” the Los Angeles Times reports.

“The news is a blow for Eric Garcetti, who has emphasized his ties to Obama during his candidacy. Garcetti recently sent out mailers to black voters featuring a picture of himself with Obama.”

Bill Clinton endorsed rival Wendy Greuel last month.