A serious crowd was served big laughs Tuesday night by a father and son team.

Republican state representative candidate Joe Wiegand and his father, comedian Jim Higgins, hosted what they dubbed the “Republican Comedy Jam” at The House, 263 E. Lincoln Highway.

The plan was to raise awareness and funding for Wiegand’s campaign in a fun way, Wiegand said.

“A debate on public policy would be serious and thoughtful,” Wiegand said. “This is fun and thoughtful.”

The jam kicked off with Wiegand telling a few political jokes and then turning the floor over to his father for a liberal point of view with his own brand of comedy.

Wiegand and his father have found a comic niche as an unlikely pair; the father a liberal, long-haired hippie and the son a conservative Republican, Wiegand said.

During the routine, he poked fun at the reversed situation they encountered during his teen years.

“The only way I could rebel against my father growing up was to join the Christian Coalition and support Ronald Reagan,” Wiegand said, receiving big laughs from the crowd.

Wiegand’s campaign manager, Gennie Siwicki, said the candidate’s down-to-earth attitude made it easy for him to approach the audience with more outlandish fundraising.

“It’s Joe,” Siwicki said. “That’s what he’s like. He laughs. He loves life.”

The two have been performing as a comic duo for about three years, and Higgins has written for celebrities including George Carlin and Dave Letterman, she said.

Audience members laughed aloud several times during the pair’s performance.

“They were awesome — totally not what I expected,” said Kyle Lawson, junior media studies major.

Wiegand’s campaign team said the turnout looked like a success.

“We filled the room,” Siwicki said. “It’s what we thought we would do.”