As I like to say about political news, sometimes "you can't make this stuff up." And on Tuesday night, there was another installment of that, as a federal prison inmate won over 40% of the Democratic Primary vote against President Obama in West Virginia.
Really. That's what really happened.
As of midnight, the prisoner had won 10 of the 55 counties in West Virginia.
"West Virginia Democrats are completely different from anywhere else in the country," tweeted Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling as the returns came in last night.
"Obama's approval with West Virginia Democrats on our last poll there was 45%," said Jensen, who added "what's happening there is not that shocking."
That was evident when Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV)- former Governor and now Senator running for re-election - wouldn't even tell reporters if he voted for President Obama in the primary.
So did he vote for the inmate? Okay, I'm just kidding.
Whether you think this is a legitimate news story isn't the point - it is what we call "man bites dog" when a federal prison inmate doing time for making threats on college campuses can take 41% of the vote in a statewide primary.
Especially when his opponent is the President of the United States.
Who is Inmate 11593-051? Keith Judd is his name - he actually ran for President before in 2008 from his prison cell, and garnered 1.7% in the Democratic Primary in Idaho.
This time, Judd forked over the $2500 filing fee to get on the ballot in West Virginia, and actually made himself eligible for delegates at the Democratic Party convention in September.
But don't bet on him getting any.
Of course, the fact that an inmate could win counties in West Virginia named for Daniel Boone, Henry Clay and Daniel Webster made critics of the President roll with laughter on the internet last night.
"I know some folks from Boone County. I can't say I find this shocking," said one on Twitter.
But if you look back at 2008, Mr. Obama actually carried Boone County on election night against John McCain.
Does it matter that Mr. Obama couldn't break 60% in West Virginia? Probably not. He certainly isn't favored to win that state in November.
But should you ignore the fact that someone in jail could get over 40% of the vote against the President?
Something tells me that is what we call "news."
