A few months ago a Google Alert email popped up for Senate President Brandon Shaffer. A video naming him had appeared on Youtube, though when we clicked on it, it wasn't what anyone might expect. First of all, it was in Japanese. Secondly, Brandon Shaffer's gigantic head had been lopped off his body and reattached to a toaster. In another video it was on a fish, with the South Park version of Kanye West singing “I’m a gay fish” in the background.

Before we go any further, let us first state that we have no idea where in the Sam Hill the videos came from. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. They're hilarious. And oddly addictive. 

It's clear whomever put them together was trying to mess with Shaffer's Congressional bid, as they are tagged with words intended to show up in internet searches about Shaffer's 4th CD campaign. 

Based on a search in Youtube for "Brandon Shaffer," they're working. Extremely well.

Of the top 12 videos that show up in the search, only four could be considered helpful to Shaffer. The rest are spoof videos and Kelly Maher catching Shaffer voting against TABOR and comparing himself to a sexual assault victim. Also not helpful.

Youtube is the second largest search engine on the interwebs, with only Google surpassing it. 

Now videos with Brandon Shaffer as a toaster or gay fish aren't going to cause anyone to vote against him. But it certainly has seemed to stop pro-Shaffer videos from punching through in search results. 

We happened upon the latest installment of the Shaffer spoofs when we searched "Brandon Shaffer redistricting" in Google yesterday. 

Check it out:

The videos make no sense, but they don’t have to. They’re the search engine equivalent of packing a Shaffer phone bank with homeless people just there for the free food.

In the end, they seem fitting. Just as Shaffer’s quixotic Congressional bid has become a complete joke, so is any attempt for persuadable voters to find out much about him.