Good Old Boy #75

Ted Stevens is the longest serving Republican Senator, having represented Alaska since the 1960s.

Earlier this year, he was charged with lying about free home renovations and other gifts he received from a wealthy oil contractor. He had a choice about when the trial would take place. The opinion polls suggested that he had a 50:50 chance of winning the election if he had the trial delayed until after the election (Alaska's the sort of place where being arrested and put on trial isn't enough of itself to stop a Republican candidate).

Instead, he decided to have his trial one week before election day.

And was found guilty. Seven times over.

Even in a year where 'terrible campaigning decisions by the Republican Party' have been so plentiful, this is something special.