Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s House seat is up for grabs. Ex-con Paul McKinley beat his Republican opponent by only 23 votes (!), so by some miracle, he will face off with Democrat Robin Kelly for that seat. Incidentally, she received an F rating from the National Rifle Association:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And yes, you read my first sentence correctly. McKinley’s an ex-con.

Republicans are hiding under tables and putting bags over their heads to avoid being associated with their victorious candidate. Gee, can’t imagine why.

Via the Chicago Tribune:

Republican voters are suggesting the 2nd Congressional District replace one felon with another after picking ex-convict Paul McKinley as the candidate to run for the seat recently ceded by former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. [...]

McKinley, a convicted felon who served nearly 20 years in state prison for burglaries, armed robberies and aggravated battery, declared victory. Wallace, however, was not willing to concede, and he called the prospect of McKinley representing the GOP “an embarrassment.” [...]

[T]he state’s Republican leadership was coming to grips with the fact that its party had just nominated someone with a long rap sheet…

Maybe they should have chosen this guy instead. He sounds way more appealing:

Here is the heart-wrenching segment that Rachel Maddow previewed in the TRMS video above:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy