Is this just "politics as usual"??

So while I was out on my run I was reminded as I ran past a "VOTE HERE" sign that today was voting day for our "special election" for our 11th congressional district in Michigan, for a U.S. Rep.  You may or may not have heard of Thad McCotter (he had a short-lived run as a presidential candidate).  He was a 5(?)-term Congressman for the 11th district- he quit with just 6 months remaining in office.  (The why is also a ridiculous situation.)  Well, I believe it was the state that decided that we needed to elect someone to replace McCotter.  So today was the *primary.*  And in November we will decide who gets to represent our district for... 6-7 weeks of the remaining current term.  (There will also be voting in November for the normal race of who's taking office for the next 2 years.)

And, this costs $650,000 of taxpayer money.  All so someone can be the rep for 6 weeks.  News was also reporting that each county involved will have to pay up $50,000 for which was not budgeted, and as a result public services may have to be cut.

And I won't even get into the ludicrous-ness of the situation for who is on the ballot instead of McCotter on the republican side for next term....

What's funny is that a few months ago I remember saying to my friend in a joking way, "Drama in the 11th district...." I don't even remember what was happening back then for me to say that, but it was nothing to what has now happened!  I think the chain of events for what has happened in our district is truly absurd.  And the above is only part of it... and so I was wondering... does this happen in other states/districts??

Others do a better job at telling the story, so here are a few links I got from a quick google search:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/16/1120770/-The-MI-11-Clownshow-Continues-Cassis-refuses-to-endorse-Bentivolio-McCotter-s-staffers-charged

http://washingtonexaminer.com/with-mccotter-gone-chaos-rules-11th-district-race/article/feed/2016477#.UEfsfo2PXTM