jQuery UI Combobox

gistfile1.html

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/capitol-assets/wave3/templates/js/jquery-ui-1.8.23.custom.min.js"></script>
<script>
(function($){
    
    $(document).ready(function() {
        $('#states').combobox();
        $('#stateNav input').focus(function() {
            if (!$(this).hasClass('clicked')) {
                $(this).addClass('clicked').val('');
            }
        }).val('Jump to a state');
        $('#stateNav').fadeIn();
    });
    
    function runFilter(val) {
        // do whatever you want with the val here
    }
    
    $.widget( "ui.combobox", {
        _create: function() {
            var input,
                self = this,
                select = this.element.hide(),
                selected = select.children( ":selected" ),
                value = selected.val() ? selected.text() : "",
                wrapper = this.wrapper = $( "<span>" )
                    .addClass( "ui-combobox" )
                    .insertAfter( select );

            input = $( "<input>" )
                .appendTo( wrapper )
                .val( value )
                .addClass( "ui-state-default ui-combobox-input" )
                .autocomplete({
                    delay: 0,
                    minLength: 0,
                    source: function( request, response ) {
                        var matcher = new RegExp( $.ui.autocomplete.escapeRegex(request.term), "i" );
                        response( select.children( "option" ).map(function() {
                            var text = $( this ).text();
                            if ( this.value && ( !request.term || matcher.test(text) ) )
                                return {
                                    label: text.replace(
                                        new RegExp(
                                            "(?![^&;]+;)(?!<[^<>]*)(" +
                                            $.ui.autocomplete.escapeRegex(request.term) +
                                            ")(?![^<>]*>)(?![^&;]+;)", "gi"
                                        ), "<strong>$1</strong>" ),
                                    value: text,
                                    option: this
                                };
                        }) );
                    },
                    select: function( event, ui ) {
                        ui.item.option.selected = true;
                        self._trigger( "selected", event, {
                            item: ui.item.option
                        });
                        runFilter(ui.item.value);
                    },
                    change: function( event, ui ) {
                        if ( !ui.item ) {
                            var matcher = new RegExp( "^" + $.ui.autocomplete.escapeRegex( $(this).val() ) + "$", "i" ),
                                valid = false;
                            select.children( "option" ).each(function() {
                                if ( $( this ).text().match( matcher ) ) {
                                    this.selected = valid = true;
                                    return false;
                                }
                            });
                            if ( !valid ) {
                                // remove invalid value, as it didn't match anything
                                $( this ).val( "" );
                                select.val( "" );
                                input.data( "autocomplete" ).term = "";
                                return false;
                            }
                        }
                    }
                })
                .addClass( "ui-widget ui-widget-content ui-corner-left" );

            input.data( "autocomplete" )._renderItem = function( ul, item ) {
                return $( "<li></li>" )
                    .data( "item.autocomplete", item )
                    .append( "<a>" + item.label + "</a>" )
                    .appendTo( ul );
            };

            $( "<a>" )
                .attr( "tabIndex", -1 )
                .attr( "title", "Show All Items" )
                .appendTo( wrapper )
                .button({
                    icons: {
                        primary: "ui-icon-triangle-1-s"
                    },
                    text: false
                })
                .removeClass( "ui-corner-all" )
                .addClass( "ui-corner-right ui-combobox-toggle" )
                .click(function() {
                    // close if already visible
                    if ( input.autocomplete( "widget" ).is( ":visible" ) ) {
                        input.autocomplete( "close" );
                        return;
                    }

                    // work around a bug (likely same cause as #5265)
                    $( this ).blur();

                    // pass empty string as value to search for, displaying all results
                    input.autocomplete( "search", "" );
                    input.focus();
                });
        },

        destroy: function() {
            this.wrapper.remove();
            this.element.show();
            $.Widget.prototype.destroy.call( this );
        }
    });
    function slugify(val) {
        var newText = val.replace(/ /g,'-').toLowerCase();
        return newText;
    }
})(jQuery);
</script>

<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/capitol-assets/wave3/templates/css/jquery-ui-1.8.23.custom.css" charset="utf-8">
<style>
/* autocomplete */
.wp-conflicts .ui-corner-all, .wp-conflicts .ui-corner-top, .wp-conflicts .ui-corner-left, .wp-conflicts .ui-corner-right, .wp-conflicts .ui-corner-bottom, .wp-conflicts .ui-corner-tl, .wp-conflicts .ui-corner-tr, .wp-conflicts .ui-corner-br, .wp-conflicts .ui-corner-bl { -moz-border-radius: 0px; -webkit-border-radius: 0px; -khtml-border-radius: 0px; border-radius: 0px; }
.wp-conflicts .ui-autocomplete {text-align: left;max-height: 114px;overflow-y: scroll;max-width:195px;}
.wp-conflicts .ui-autocomplete a {color: #222;display: block;font-size: 12px;padding:5px 4px;border:0 none;font-weight: normal;}
.wp-conflicts .ui-autocomplete a:hover, .wp-conflicts .ui-autocomplete a.ui-state-hover {border:0 none;background: #e2e2e2;color: black;font-weight: normal;margin:0;}

#stateNav { position: relative; display: none; }
#stateNav input { height:22px; padding-top:1px; line-height:18px; font-size: 13px; color: #ccc; width: 120px; border:1px solid #CCC; background:white; color:#222; padding:2px 6px 1px;}
#stateNav .ui-button {background:white;position: absolute;right:5px;top:5px;}
</style>

<div id="stateNav">
    <select id="states">
        <option value="">Jump to a state</option>
        <option value="Alabama">Alabama</option>
        <option value="Alaska">Alaska</option>
        <option value="Arizona">Arizona</option>
        <option value="Arkansas">Arkansas</option>
    </select>
</div>