Vigo County puts “Bellwether” status on the line with 2020 Presidential Election

Vigo County puts “Bellwether” status on the line with 2020 Presidential Election

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Good evening and thanks for joining us.

For the past 60 years...vigo county has been a trendsetter when voting in presidential elections.

Vigo county has voted in alignment with the electoral college winner for president in the past 15 elections it's earned us the designation of being a "bellwether county" news 10's dominic miranda spoke with a local expert today.

He joins us now live in our newsroom with more on this impressive streak.

Patrece...rondrell.

Vigo county has only missed the mark on the presidential winner in 2 elections since *18-88*.

And get this...voters here haven't faltered since 19-56!

That's currently the second longest streak in the entire united states.

Only second to valencia county in new mexico.

I was able to speak with a local expert today on this unique trend.

I spoke with indiana state associate professor of political science matthew bergbower on thursday.

He says vigo county is what you would call a purple county.... and this has a lot to do with what's called the peripheral voter.

Peripheral voters are those who don't turn out for midterm elections...but do for presidential elections.

This makes up about 25 percent of voters nationwide.

These voters are made up of many independents or those who really aren't strong affiliates for either political party.

Bergbower says within this crowd...they recognize a national mood.

For instance in the 2000's..it might have been terrorism... in the 2010's it was the economic climate with the great recession.

And in 2020 it's obviously the covid-19 pandemic.

Peripheral voters tend to succumb to the national mood and favor one candidate over the other.

Bergbower says that's truly the difference in vigo county.

And with that....he made his prediction if the bellwhether streak will continue.

"i do not expect trump to win by as large of margin--15 percent--but i still expect him to win the county.

Having said that, national polls suggest that joe biden is doing very well.

So i expect him to win the popular vote and the electoral college vote, thus, the bellwether streak in vigo county would be broken in 2020."

Bergbower told me...with all this being said... he said the same thing in 20-16.

So it will defintiely be something interesting to keep your eye on during this election season here in vigo county.

Reporting live in the newsroom i'm dominic miranda news 10