Kanye West leading Trump, Biden in Kentucky? TV station clarifies ‘not valid’ results

Perhaps Kanye West shouldn’t “get the West Wing ready” just yet.

Kentucky election results posted on WLEX’s website Tuesday showing the rapper leading Donald Trump and Joe Biden are “not valid,” the TV station said. The fake results listed West with 40,781 votes in the Bluegrass State, Biden with 28,995 and Trump with 4,288 — but all three trailing Brock Pierce and Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen.

After West posted a screenshot of the results Tuesday night, WLEX was quick to clarify what was shown on the website.

“Someone discovered a cached web link that we used during June’s primary election to post Associated Press election results,” the Lexington TV station said. “The old link was still populating current AP data and showed test results, which is part of the preparation the AP does in advance of elections. The results shown were not valid. They were simply part of a test.”

The TV station apologized and news anchor Nancy Cox added, “Sorry Kanye.”

The often-controversial celebrity filed a petition in early September to appear on the presidential ballot in Kentucky, the Herald-Leader previously reported. Early voting began Tuesday with West’s name included on the ballots.

West celebrated Tuesday night after he shared the fake results on Twitter, which have received more than 11,000 retweets and 49,100 likes as of 11 a.m. Wednesday.

“Get the West Wing ready,” West said in an all-caps tweet, which Twitter has marked as “manipulated media.” West posted again two minutes later.

“People tried to talk me out of running for president,” West tweeted. “Never let weak controlling people kill your spirit.”

He did not correct himself after WLEX confirmed the results were invalid. West is considered a longshot to win the election, both in Kentucky and nationally.

West unveiled his first campaign ad Monday. The ad focused on community and faith, calling on voters to write him in on their ballots.