You Have to See This Idaho GOP Governor’s Debate

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a political debate like this.

Idaho Gov. Butch Otter (R) is running for reelection, but he faces a primary challenge from state Sen. Russ Fulcher. The two front-runner candidates debated on Wednesday night, but they weren’t alone on stage. A duo of fringe candidates — Walt Bayes and Harley Brown — were there too. And boy, did they steal the show.

According to the Idaho Statesman, Brown reportedly made a crack about “wetbacks” while Fulcher did his mic check before the debate by counting in Spanish.

Brown, who was naturally decked out in biker gear, was grilled by the moderator about offensive jokes posted on his campaign site targeted at, “women, gays, and Jews, and Asians and Polish people.” (The candidate dubs them “Harleyisms.”)

“I’m about as politically correct as your proverbial turd in a punchbowl and I’m proud of it,” Brown shot back.

Later in the debate, Brown voluntarily revealed that he once lived in “Fat Jack’s cellar,” after his ex-wife slapped him with a restraining order. Alright!

Bayes, meanwhile, came sporting an epic Santa Claus beard and referred to himself as “un-normal.” The father of 16 spent much of the debate railing against abortion. He even donned a khaki shirt with “Abortion Is Murder” printed on the back in hot pink lettering.

As The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake pointed out, this is hardly the first wacky political debate caught on camera. But this contest will find itself in the YouTube Hall of Fame for years to come.

Watch the video here: