So, after the Chris McDaniel debacle, I think most of us swore off writing anything positive about the Mississippi GOP. So, this post should not be interpreted as any kind of endorsement of anyone in the Mississippi Governor’s race. Sometimes, even if your own side is not worthy of support, there is catharsis to be found in pointing and laughing at the follies of one’s enemies.

In Mississippi, there is plenty to point and laugh at.

The Mississippi Democrats have nominated a candidate for this year’s Gubernatorial race, and his name is Robert Gray. His win was utterly convincing, as he carried 79 out of 82 counties, and garnered an impressive 51 per cent of the vote in a relatively crowded field. There’s only one problem with Gray’s stunning and convincing victory: he wasn’t really running.

I mean, technically, Robert Gray was running. He filled out the paperwork. He turned in his $300 filing fee on a lark. But that’s literally all Robert Gray did for his campaign. He told literally no one – not even his own family – that he was running. He bought no ads. He placed no signs.

He did not even vote – for himself or for anyone else.

Gray is a long haul trucker and, apparently, an extremely taciturn man. He goes by the CB handle (CB handles apparently still exist) “Silent Knight” because he never talks. Rather, he apparently spends most of his time in his truck listening to NPR, which motivated his, uh, campaign. The Democrats actually had a candidate – a trial lawyer named Vicki Slater – who was supposed to have the honor of being slaughtered by incumbent Phil Bryant in the upcoming election.

But for reasons no one yet understands (Democrats are crying conspiracy theory, to be sure, but likelier explanations include the fact that he apparently appeared first on the ballot, and has a generic sounding name), Gray won the nomination walking away.

Republicans in Mississippi are snickering behind their backs (or in some cases, openly) at this turn of events. Apparently they aren’t paying attention to what is happening nationwide with the Donald Trump/Ben Carson phenomenon. Voters apparently are not in the mood to be told that candidates aren’t qualified for office or worthy of your vote because they have no experience in politics. In fact, they seem to be ready to take the exact opposite tack at the drop of the hat.

So while, at the moment, it looks like the Mississippi Democratic party is in even worse disarray than usual, if they are halfway competent they may be able to turn this campaign into a real danger for for Bryant, et al. And the Mississippi GOP may just have it coming.