Martin Named to TNR's Coveted "Year of the Nutjob" List

Via Show Me Progress, I see that our beloved Crazy Ed Martin has been highlighted by the The New Republic as one of the "the truly special specimens" in this "Year of the Nutjob."

How does the class of 2010 stack up against its lunatic predecessor, of 1994? There are the well-known data points--Rand Paul's alleged kidnapping of a college classmate; Sharron Angle's assertion that there are "domestic enemies" in Congress--that suggest we've reached a new zenith of crazy, making Newt Gingrich's bunch look like sensible establishmentarians by comparison. But Paul and Angle only begin to capture the strangeness of candidates out there who may soon be occupying your Capitol and governor's mansion. Herewith, a guide to the truly special specimens...

God's Operative: Ed Martin, House candidate, Missouri

Martin has a rep for fighting dirty: He was forced to resign from his job as chief of staff to former Missouri Governor Matt Blunt after trying to cover up the fact that his office had illegally used state government e-mail accounts for campaign activities. (Martin tried to discredit the government whistleblower who alerted authorities by inquiring whether he was dating anyone in the office.) Now, he's trying to convince Missourians that Obama's domestic agenda is a stealth assault on religious freedom. He told a right-wing radio host that Obama wants to "take away [the choice] to find the Lord." When challenged about these remarks, he insisted that government bailouts made the demise of religious freedom "a growing concern."

Congratulations, Ed!