Cleveland County

Cleveland County, situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the western Piedmont, lies on the southern border of North Carolina. According to the 2020 census, the county's population stood at 99,519 individuals. Shelby serves as the county seat. 
Established in 1841, Cleveland County was created by combining portions of Lincoln and Rutherford counties. Historically, it leaned towards the Democratic Party until 1968 when the county supported George Wallace, the candidate of the American Independent Party. However, in 1972, the county overwhelmingly voted for Richard Nixon, marking the beginning of Cleveland's affiliation with the Republican Party. Since then, the county has remained a stronghold for Republicans, with the last Democrat to win Cleveland County being Jimmy Carter in 1980.