U.S. CONGRESS

2009 winner Stephanie Herseth Sandlin struts her stuff after the contest.

Congressional Wet T-Shirt Contest Fun For All

WASHINGTON (CAP) - Members of the House of Representatives took a break from politics as usual today to hold their 23rd annual wet t-shirt contest as a wrap-up to National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And for the third time in a row and fourth time overall, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) slipped past Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) to win the competition.

"Man, that water was cold!" Sandlin told CAP News as she dried off. "I swear it gets colder every year. Just between you and me, I think Steny [Hoyer] had a little too much fun pouring the water on us, if you know what I'm saying."

Historically the Speaker of the House performs the water-pouring duties, but since Rep. Nancy Pelosi became Speaker back in 2007 and wanted to continue to compete, that task moved to the Majority Leader. Pelosi won the inaugural wet t-shirt contest during her first year in office in 1987 and then tacked on two more victories, including being the oldest to win at age 52 in 1992.

"Bless her soul, still competing at this age," said Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), who finished third behind Sandlin and Mack. "I mean, it's not a pretty sight, but she's got moxy. Heck, her workout videos still sell like hotcakes. An amazing woman."

Despite the innocent fun of the wet t-shirt contest and the positive press it has garnered for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the competition is not without its detractors. However, the negative response is mostly from the other chamber of Congress, where jealous senators admit they can't come up with anything more creative than singing Kumbaya together.

"We've all been begging Kirsten [Gillibrand] to show us hers ever since she took over for Hillary," said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). "And then Barbara [Boxer] is all, I will, I will, but I really think it's time she just put hers away."

In addition to the contest, the House subcommittee on Health, Sex and Condoms also announced their endorsement of pending bills in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The new legislation would support breasts, encourage efforts to improve breasts, and help make breasts more available to disadvantaged Americans.

"You know what, this whole thing isn't just about size, or else this would be the Sanchez/Bono show every year," said 2003 winner Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). "As any Republican male can tell you, there's a lot more to breasts than just their size, and we hope our wet t-shirts get that point across.

"Or those points, as it were," Blackburn added.

For the past six years, the competition has been sponsored by DC-area businesses, the proceeds from which go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. And this year for the first time, the contest was videotaped for an upcoming Pols Gone Wild DVD collection to be hosted by Ryan Seacrest. The collection should be in stores in time for holiday shopping.

Click here for the full list of winners since 1987.