Nash County could be key bellwether in presidential race

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WTVD) -- They say every vote counts, and nowhere is that more true than in Nash County. North Carolina is already a battleground state, but Nash County could be the key predictor of how the state, and possibly the country goes.

"I believe whoever wins Nash County is going to the White House," SAID Pastor James Gailliard, who is also a former Democratic State Representative from Rocky Mount.

And there may be precedent for that.

"We've got inner city Rocky Mount but then you got rural communities like Middlesex and like Red Oak," he said.

Add it all together, the home county of two-term Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is also 3 for 3 in picking presidents. In the last three presidential elections, Nash County proved decisive with Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden each winning Nash by a few hundred or even just a few dozen votes.

In 2012, Obama won over Mitt Romney by 471 votes. Then in 2016, it flipped red with Trump beating Hillary Clinton by just 84 votes; then in 2020, back to blue again with Biden edging out Trump by only 120 votes.

At Word Tabernacle Church, they're hitting the phones to reach voters. Gailliard said he believes Vice President Kamala Harris, who was in Raleigh on Wednesday, can win by appealing to the middle in a county home to many ticket splitters

"She's a good enough politician and a good enough stateswoman that in order for me to win America and to win rural communities, I've got to have moderate policies and I believe the voters understand that," Gailliard said.

Meanwhile, with Trump rallying voters in Rocky Mount on Wednesday, Republicans said they believe the momentum is on their side.

"I think what we've been through the last four years has prompted a lot of people to get out and vote," said GOP volunteer Betty Bissette.

And in a race this close, voters in Nash know just how powerful they are.

"I think my vote today made a big difference," said Sylvia Mann from Castalia.

The enthusiasm is showing in turnout. As of Oct. 29, Nash County had 46% turnout, compared to 43% statewide, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.