Federal Inmate No. 11593-051 Beats Obama In Ten West Virginia Counties
Something tells me that the Obama campaign shouldn’t count on winning West Virginia this year:
An obscure federal prison inmate gave President Obama an unexpected run for his money in the West Virginia Democratic Primary Tuesday, highlighting the deep dislike for the president in the Appalachian heartland.
With 96% of the precincts reporting Tuesday night, Keith Judd was holding steady at 41% of the vote and had won ten counties.
Judd is also known as federal prison inmate Number 11593-051 at the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution in Beaumont, Texas, where Judd is serving a 210-month sentence for extortion and making threats at the University of New Mexico in 1999.
According to both state and national Democratic Party rules, Keith Russell Judd is entitled to receive at least one delegate from West Virginia for the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. because he received 15% of the vote.
Judd ran particularly strong in West Virginia’s coal country, carrying the labor stronghold of Mingo County, among others.
The votes appear to be votes against President Obama rather than for Judd.
Well, I would hope so. For those who may be wondering, Fairvote reports that West Virginia have a “semi-closed” primary, meaning that independents can choose which party primary to vote in on Election Day, but registered members of one party cannot vote in the primary of the other party. So, this isn’t a Republican crossover vote we’re looking at, it’s evidence of how inhospitable West Virginia is for President Obama. It also explains why Joe Manchin is keeping the President at arms-length.
The United Mine Workers seem to understand that the far left takeover of the Democrat Party is complete. What used to be the far left is now the “center” of the Democrat Party.
That means the number one priority for Democrats is to put coal miners out of business because of their irrational hatred for fossil fuels. The UMW would rather have a convicted felon who supports coal as president than a radical leftist who hates them and their way of life.
Even CNN/Gallup would have a hard time trying to pimp Obama’s chances in West Virginia.
That aside, the only way in which this should or could surprise anybody is if they’re not paying attention. West Virginia is a hard core working class state. Basic brick and mortar industries. The antithesis of Beverly Hills and Pacific Heights. The antithesis of the loopy left.
Plus as Groty points out mining for coal is very important to its economy. If we expanded our shale production that entire state would become a giant boomtown. It’s not a state secret who’s preventing that. Voters there understand there are major differences between the likes of Joe Manchin and Earl Ray Tomblin and the likes of Obama, Pelosi, Hoyer, Clyburn, Reid, Durbin & Co.
I smell tricksters here. Living in Houston, I can think of any number of people and organizations who would happily put up the $2500 for this felon to get on the ballot in a state like W.V. (Beaumont is not far from Houston.)
And why this now? And why this state now?
The talk radio types were spinning this this morning as how Obama can’t win with democrats. Here, the first two commenters are spinning it as related to coal.
The clear indication to me is that it’s mostly about race. Or has everyone forgotten what the 2008 primaries were like?
Any way you view it, this little bit of mischief is aimed at making Obama and Democrats look bad.
@Tsar Nicholas:
West Virginia is a hard core working class state. Basic brick and mortar industries. The antithesis of Beverly Hills and Pacific Heights. The antithesis of the loopy left.
You mean the taxpayers who fund West Virginia’s programs for the elderly, the sick and the poor? You mean those heroic Mountaineers who recieve much more from outside taxpayers than they pay in?
Shouldn’t bit the hand that fees you.
Indeed. West Virginia is number eighth per capita in total recipients of Welfare oddly just one slot below those rugged individualists in Alaska.
They receive 1.76 dollars in federal funds for every dollar they pay in federal taxes.
Basically West Virginia is that loopy brother in law who can’t hold down a job and constantly mooches of it’s family and friends.