It is. This Nixon county is part of the change in America.
This iconic county of 3.1 million people passed something of a milestone in June. The percentage of registered Republican voters dropped to 43 percent, the lowest level in 70 years.
It was the latest sign of the demographic, ethnic and political changes that are transforming the county and challenging long-held views of a region whose colorful — its detractors might suggest zany — reputation extends well beyond the borders of this state. ...NYT
It's also getting less "white" and more international. All good signs, but symbolic of the change so dreaded by the less well educated, right wing white American.
The bottom line lies in the transformation of African-American and Vietnamese-American and Hispanic-American into just plain Americans. This is exhilirating to many of us but threatening to the third of the country which has believed all its life that the "real" America is white.
Most elected officials in Orange County are Republicans.
But the political texture of this county, which is larger in population than Nevada or Iowa, is changing, and many officials say it is only a matter of time before many Republican officeholders get swept out with the tide.
