How can people in the US take the crazy people seriously?

Today are the US mid term elections and there seems to a strong possibility that some really out there Teaparty backed people will get elected.

Here is just a selection of some of the off the wall things some of them have been saying. Anyone of these statements would be the end of a political career in Canada.

Michelle Bachmann: Republic Congresswoman from Minnesota "Gay marriage is probably the biggest issue that will impact our state and our nation in the last, at least, thirty years. I am not understanding that."
Seriously? Two men or two women being able to marry is the biggest issue for you? That war in Iraq or the recession are smaller issues? Obamacare is less of an issue for her?

Trent Franks Republican Congressman from Arizona on Obama: "He has no place in any station of government and we need to realize that he is an enemy of humanity."
How? How can anyone say that with a straight face ever? There is no way a rational person that has any knowledge of US politics that could believe that. This is coming out of the mouth of a sitting legislator. How does he think this will move the political debate forward on anything.

Glen Urquhart Republican running to win Delaware's Congress seat, he is behind: "The exact phrase 'separation of Church and State' came out of Adolph Hitler's mouth, that's where it comes from. So the next time your liberal friends talk about the separation of Church and State, ask them why they are Nazis."
So Jefferson was a proto Nazi? Beyond the fact that there was no separation of church and state in Nazi Germany, this sort of statement is bizarre given the fact that the US was the source of the idea.

Steve King Republican Congressman from Iowa on Obama winning the election: "The radical Islamists, the al-Qaeda... would be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11 because they would declare victory in this war on terror."
Seriously? The US president that increased the troops fighting the war on terror wins and al-Qaeda will be happy?

Lamar Smith Republican Congressman from Texas: "The greatest threat to America is not necessarily a recession or even another terrorist attack. The greatest threat to America is a liberal media bias."
He can make this statement in a country with Fox News simply speaks to his complete lack of understanding of the media in the US.

It will be very depressing if the wingnut Republicans win today. If they can make these sort of stupid statements, I have no hope they will be able to govern at all. It will suck globally if we have total gridlock in the US government.

My hope is that the rational Republicans will begin to prevail and will seek compromise with the Democrats to get something done. I am not holding out much hope.