Passage: Carbon County has long been considered a bellwether county for Pennsylvania statewide elections. In gubernatorial elections, it has been perfect since 1952.  At the presidential level, Carbon County was also a bellwether for Pennsylvania (although not the nation) until recently, with only 1 miss (in 1960) from 1916 to 2000, and with a margin within 3.5 points of the statewide margin in every election from 1940 to 2000 except 1964 (5.3% more Democratic) and 1976 (6.9% more Democratic). However, since then the county has trended Republican relative to the state as a whole, with McCain outperforming in Carbon by 8.5% relative to the state and Romney outperforming by 12.9%. Republicans hold the commissioner majority while Democrats hold all county row offices. Al Gore carried it in 2000, and in 2004, Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat John Kerry 49.99% to 48.81% or a margin of 296 votes.
Are fewer county row offices held by Republicans or Democrats? Are more Republicans commissioners, or holders of county row offices? How many more percent of the vote did George W. Bush get than John Kerry in 2004? How many more percent of voters in Carbon County voted Democratic in 1976 than in 1964? How many years did Carbon County go with only one miss as a bellwether for Pennsylvania? In the two years that Carbon County was greater than 3.5 points outside of the statewide margin, which party did the county favor? Who did better in Carbon County, McCain or Romney?