It's really like a game show around here. The Governor announced late yesterday that she had narrowed her selection down to 5 people as to whom would replace Jim Demint as South Carolina's new Senator. So let's meet the finalists! 

"The Bad Boy" Henry McMaster.

The former Attorney General revealed his bad boy side while running for Governor in 2010. Actually he didn't reveal it Gresham Barrett revealed it for him when the Gresham campaign turned over documents that showed Henry owed $20,000 in back taxes and late fees on rental property he owned. Speaking of rental property the Free Times then came out with a story entitled Henry McMaster Slumlord Millionaire. He owned a bunch of houses around USC and rented them to college kids who claim Henry treated them less than stately. 

Tenants complain of bad plumbing; broken windows; awkward confrontations with Henry; windows painted shut; bats, insects; mice; no central heating; non-working appliances; poor insulation; potentially dangerous gas leaks; rude text messages from Peggy; unjustified rent hikes; water pouring from light fixtures; being forced out of apartments; holes in ceilings, doors and floors; mistreatment of employees; discrimination; severe water damage; mold; breach of contract and the withholding of security deposits. Even when trying to defend them on a personality basis, one tenant who Free Times recently spoke with in the living room of a McMaster-owned property couldn’t resist taking a jab at how they run their ship. “They’re horrible landlords, but nice people,” she said.It’s a common theme Free Times heard among tenants: If McMaster treats the state the way he treats his properties and tenants, he would, in college-kid Greek speak, “f#!k it up.” 

Parents always fear the bad boys and in this case it sounds like college kids do too.

Then we have "the cute one". "Rowdy" Trey Gowdy

Trey makes conservative hearts swoon with his Bieber hairdoo and outbursts on the house floor about Fast & Furious, Benghazi and anything else that would make libs shiver. As for gun control, hell he doesn't even break a sweat when some crazy is pointing a gun right at him.  

Next up, "The Outsider" Jenny Sanford. 

Born & raised in a wealthy suburb of Chicago her family's wealth came from her grandfather who co founded the Skil corporation which made billions all over the world selling power tools in the 50's through the 70's. Jenny went to Georgetown and then on to NYC where she worked through the 80's and in to the 90s climbing the ladder at an investment bank ending her career as VP. She has never worked in politics aside from managing her ex husbands campaigns. 

"The Hearthrob" Tim Scott. 

Tim is a conservatives dream! Tall, black and handsome. A party that is constantly racked with white guilt can't get enough of this guy! Raised in Charleston by a single mother who worked 16 hour days as a nurse assistant. Tim represents all that conservatives love. A guy from poverty who worked hard to put himself through college, then opened his own small business (insurance) and worked a 2nd job (financial planning). He became the 1st black Republican to win election for any office in SC since reconstruction when he won a seat on county council. He had the 10 commandments posted outside county council chambers to remind all of them of their oath. That lead to a national fight with the ACLU. He then won his way in to Congress beating Strom Thurmond's grandson! 

Finally we have the "Shy One" Catherine Templeton.

Little is known about Catherine. We know the Governor loves her because Nikki Haley appointed Catherine as the Director of DHEC last year and the year before that she was appointed as Director of Labor Licencing & Regulation. She lives in Charleston and refused to move to Columbia to take over the state jobs, so she may be the 1st Senator to serve their state while living in their state. That's the kind of out-of-the-box-in-the-state thinking that may give the shy one the edge.  

So there you have it the five finalists on South Carolina Senator Idol!