The man is deranged.

In what we can only guess is more 48^th degree, backwards chess, the Trump White House is patting itself on the back for Democrat Conor Lamb’s apparent win in Pennsylvania’s 18^th district.

This was a district that Trump won by 20 points in 2016. Now, it appears that the Republican, Rick Saccone, is facing a narrow defeat.

How could that be?

Trump was just in Pittsburgh stumping for Saccone last week.

OH – no. Wait.

Trump was in Pittsburgh singing his own praises, before casually mentioning that Saccone was there and that an election was coming up.

And now that the election is over and Saccone has been defeated, Lamb and the Democrats can thank Trump, since it’s embracing Trump’s policies that won the day.

“The president’s engagement in the race turned what was a deficit for the Republican candidate to what is essentially a tie,” said White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah.

“Also the Democrat in the race really embraced the president’s policies and his vision whereas he didn’t really embrace Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader.”

Seriously?

Lamb bills himself as a “moderate” Democrat. He’s a Catholic who is personally opposed to abortion, but still sides with abortion advocates.

He supports strengthening background check on gun purchases, but has kept mum about other proposed restrictions.

The most recent count in the election has Lamb ahead by a very tight 500 votes. With some absentee ballots still to be counted, it’s conceivable that Saccone may still pull this thing out.

If he does, we can look for Trump to take credit for that win, as well.