A common complaint of newspapers is that the news is always bad.
Always negative. Filled with conflict. Every day the pages are
filled with death, destruction or lawsuits. Or in the case of San
Benito County, sewage problems or wackiness flying out of the
district attorney’s office.
A common complaint of newspapers is that the news is always bad. Always negative. Filled with conflict. Every day the pages are filled with death, destruction or lawsuits. Or in the case of San Benito County, sewage problems or wackiness flying out of the district attorney’s office.
But yesterday came something out of the ordinary. Something that county citizens can hold up with pride. And that is the fact that when it comes to voting, this small county can be counted upon to provide an accurate portrayal of how California votes as a whole. Since 1998, our results have mirrored state voters within a percentage point or two.
This seemingly innocuous fact holds us in a favorable light. And it has created interest in our county from some unlikely sources. The Los Angeles Times, for instance, thought so highly of this phenomenon that it wrote an entire story on it. The LA Times is one of the largest, most respected and important newspapers in the world. So this must mean something.
What, no one is exactly certain. But we do know that with an election coming up in November, we should enjoy this distinction while we can. Because as in politics and baseball, you never know what might happen. San Benito County’s unique powers of prognostication could get knocked out of whack by a victory or two from unlikely sources. If the Boston Red Sox or Chicago White Sox can win the World Series, an election result can come out of left field and render our distinction meaningless.
There is no clear way to read our voting record, either. San Benito County’s ethnic demographic is more Hispanic or Latino than the rest of the state. And our household income is nearly $10,000 per year higher than the state norm. Our Democrat-Republican ratio is very close to the rest of the state. None of this molds into a measurable attitude.
One thing we can say for certain following our own highly unscientific polling of local voters: We are an independent lot. Again and again interviewees stated that they will not hesitate to support candidates from any party if they deem them worthy.
So what does it all mean? Not a lot. But it is interesting. Although we do know one thing for sure: If it happens again this coming election, we’ll probably start seeing a lot more than the LA Times hanging around town before the next vote. And what the heck, an influx of reporters will be good for the tourist economy.
