In West Virginia Dem Primary, incarcerated felon gets 41% of vote against Obama, ten counties

[Bolo Boffin]

Yes, you read that right. Ten counties and 41% of the Democratic primary vote have gone to Keith Judd, federal prison inmate Number 11593-051 at the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution in Beaumont, Texas, instead of President Obama.

Judd will actually get a WV delegate because he got over 15% of the vote.

Don't get me wrong: I love to stomp around and cuss Joe Manchin like any other yellow dog Democrat. In fact, today he will not confirm whether or not he voted for President Obama in the primary. But he's facing Joe Raese, his old opponent in the special election to fill Robert Byrd's seat, and that man is a freaking lunatic. As much of a thorn in the side of progressive politics as he is, Manchin may actually be the best Democrat we can get elected in West Virginia.

How much of this is Republican crossover voting now that Romney's the presumptive nominee? I don't know. I don't know if crossover voting is even allowed in West Virginia. But the general election is come one, come all, and this is the kind of headwind both Obama and Manchin face.

But by God, keep yelling about Manchin! Because that may actually help him get elected in the general election. Yeesh.

[freshwest]

1. How does a man living in TX, a felon, get on the ballot in WV? This sounds like a GOP joke.

I am disappointed going to the link to see the area voted against Obama and those asked said trace was a factor in their vote.

Then to read that the most unionized area voted against him. That was back in 2008.

I see no rhyme or reason in their voting pattern.

[Bolo Boffin]

2. I suppose he is from West Virginia.

I understand he is in prison in Texas because it was here he made threats against the University of New Mexico. This demonstrates his grasp of foreign policy.

[RandySF]

3. What's the matter with West Virginia?

[Bolo Boffin]

4. Appalachia region, coal country

Home of the Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.

http://wildandwonderfulwhites.com/

[limpyhobbler]

5. Many West Virginians suffer from mild brain damage

from all the toxic coal mine run-off in their drinking water. That may partly explain the results. Also they are racist. They just come right out and say it. I appreciate their honesty. Not all West Virginians obviously. But enough to give them a reputation for it. I think they have a semi open primary where independents could have asked for a dem ballot to vote for the convict. I'm sure there was some coordinated effort to do this.

Joe Manchin has made a real art form out of trashing the president. What WV loves is a white democrat that is in bed with the coal mining industry.

I'm a native West Virginian I guess because I was born there even though now I'm living in Ohio I still get West Virginia news and TV. Manchin threw the President WAY under the bus to save his own skin, instead of standing up and fighting for what's right. Manchin said he might not vote for Obama because of some new coal mine regulations. That was a big hit with all the racists in the state, and also with people who enjoy having toxic brown sludge flowing from the tap in their kitchen sink. Together these groups make up the majority of the state.

[Union Scribe]

6. I'm seeing their primary being called "semi-closed"

In the Dem primary, Dems can vote and those not registered to a party can vote, but all others cannot. Not open, but still a lot of room for shenanigans.

http://elections.mytimetovote.com/dates/west_virginia.html

[limpyhobbler]

7. flashback 2008. The good folks in this video explain their trouble with Prez. Obama

There may have been some republicans crossing over to vote for the convict tonight. But I think WV democrats are capable of this on their own.

Here is a video from 2008 explaining why people (democrats) dislike the President in WV.

[Son of Gob]

8. Pretty revolting video

Quite the twist ending, with the only self proclaimed Republican they talked to said she'd vote for Obama over McCain. Ass-Backwards land over there.

[bluestateguy]

9. He's not getting any delegates

He can be disqualified as a candidate upon the grounds that he is ineligible to hold public office.

And congratulations to Barack Obama, the winner of the West Virginia Democratic primary. In 2008's West Virginia primary Obama won not a single county and only 26% of the vote.

Case closed.

[Bolo Boffin]

11. That's good to know. n/t

[Raine]

10. I would guess those were protest votes

[JoePhilly]

12. And oddly, the 41% are all blood relatives, and related to the inmate.

[ProSense]

13. Well, he got almost

as many votes (72,459) as Romney (77,477).

Obama got about 5,500 fewer votes than all Republicans combined:

Obama 105,833

Republicans 111,263

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2012/by_state/WV_President_0508.html?SITE=CSPANELN&SECTION=POLITICS

Obama did better than in 2008 when he got about 93,000 votes in the primary. Things are looking up! LOL!

Still, WV voted for a felon imprisoned in Texas. Write them off!

[limpyhobbler]

16. Written off for sure.

WV is a lost cause for sure. It's a shame though, because Wheeling and Parkersburg media markets are cheap buys and they spill heavily into battleground counties in Ohio.

[WI_DEM]

14. the only reason for this is that WVA has a lot of poor, uneducated, white racists

[kentuck]

15. It's not just West Virginia...

It is the eastern part of Kentucky, the western part of Virginia, the northwestern part of NC, and East Tennessee, and part of Pennsylvania. There is an area of the country, not just in one state, that is racist, to put it bluntly.

[limpyhobbler]

17. Roughly speaking this area

One of my favorite all time maps. Counties where Obama(2008) did worse than John Kerry(2004).

[kentuck]

18. It's worse than I thought...

Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma look worse than West Virginia...