January 13, 2020
VALENCIA COUNTY, New Mexico
When we set out to determine which of the 206 eligible counties we would visit for our original series The Pivot Counties, Valencia County, New Mexico was always a clear-cut favorite. After all, not only had the community of rural New Mexicans there voted for Trump after supporting Obama twice — the premise of our show — but it carried this bizarre-but-true fact in American history: Valencia County voters always pick the president.
Really.
At least, ever since 1952.In every presidential election since Dwight D. Eisenhower over Adlai Stevenson, voters here have shown that whoever they select ends up winning the presidency. That’s right: this county of about 75,000 people has had a 100 percent batting average over the last seventeen elections.
Kennedy? Valencia County.
Carter? Valencia County.
Reagan? Valencia County (twice).
Obama and Trump? Definitely.
Our second episode shows a corner of America that has had both its ups and downs in a deeply purple background of impossible-to-predict politics. Our journey through the once-thriving town of Belen will introduce you to Marvin and Francis Glidewell, siblings whose lives are inextricably linked to an iconic neighborhood bowling alley that has fallen into disuse and decay.We talk with local elected officials about how shifting demographics and the centuries-old area history merge into a hotspot of single-issue voting. We wine-taste with Valencia millennials building a progressive future, and yes, we even go duck hunting, which, as I found out, is considerably more difficult than what I learned on Nintendo.
And as with our first episode in Jasper County, Iowa, our Valencia story spotlights the traditions and quirks that make its citizens tick. It’s also a story of the future, as corporations like Facebook and Walmart find new research and distribution opportunities in this sleepy community south of Albuquerque.
As for the politics of the region, New Mexicans are disappointed that they won’t be weighing in on the 2020 field until June; with such a late primary date, many feel that they have a diminished role in helping to choose the Democratic nominee. But as for Valencia County’s strange history of predicting POTUS’?
Maybe a Valencia County Primary for 2024 is just the ticket.
