There are two ways of looking at this story, so choose whichever you prefer:

Either Pinellas County has employed some of the greatest County Commissioners in the Western Hemisphere, or local Republicans are a remarkably loyal crowd.

Too simplistic? Sure, I'll give you that.

But good gosh, the numbers are remarkable.

By my count, Democrats have failed to win — or even show up — in the last 30 elections against a Republican incumbent on the Pinellas County Commission.

Republicans have retired, run for other offices, been arrested on cocaine charges and even been beaten in their own primaries, but a sitting Republican commissioner has not been toppled by a Democrat since Gabe Cazares beat Joe Wornicki in 1980.

To put that in perspective, not even the expansion Buccaneers lost that many in a row, and they were the worst football team the NFL has known.

Column here.