Pinellas County, Florida can keep its crown as one of the bellwether counties of the country, now that Joe Biden is the projected presidential winner.

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Known for its sugar sand beaches, the county is also home to urban communities and middle class suburbs. USF Emeritus Professor of Government Darryl Paulson calls it a microcosm of the United States.

“There’s no better oracle of political futures than Pinellas County voters,” Paulson said.

Paulson considers Pinellas a bellwether and for good reason. The county has voted for the winning presidential candidate in every single presidential election since 1976, with the exception of the election in 2000. 

The county can now hang on to that title after going blue for Biden this election.

“I just believed in my heart and my spirit that he was going to pull it out,” said voter Wallace Bennett Jr.

Bennett, an Army veteran and now paster is from Largo.  As a registered Republican, he told us he supported President Donald Trump in 2016, but changed his mind for 2020. But it’s not the first time he’s flipped. Bennett also voted for former President Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012. 

Pinellas County did the same.

“I am very proud to be from Pinellas County. They watch, they listen and they move according to what they feel,” Wallace said. “And the people have spoken.”