Why Texas just became 2014's biggest sideshow

Welcome to the strange world of Rep. Steve Stockman

Steve Stockman
(Image credit: (Nyc Labretš/Demotix/Corbis))

Move over, Todd Akin: Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas is 2014's version of the Republican most likely to say something crazy on the campaign trail.

Stockman this week announced his candidacy in the Republican primary against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. Cornyn is not all that vulnerable to a challenge from the right — he's a solidly conservative senator and has the war chest to back it up. Add Stockman's track record of making outlandish comments, and you've got every opposition researcher's dream and very little chance of a Tea Party upset.

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Jillian Rayfield is a freelance writer in New York. In the past, she has written for Salon, MSNBC, Rolling Stone, New York Magazine's Daily Intel, and Talking Points Memo.