Reading the article it states that the bell weather counties are whiter and less educated than the country as a whole and those are 2 of the main indicators if someone supports trump. Where as people of color and those with 4 year degrees generally support Biden. So they were bellweathers in the less partisan era of bush/Clinton/Reagan. But they actually started shifting in 2016 towards Trump even though he lost the popular vote but won presidency. And stayed with him during his loss.

2 judges wanted to actually hear the case. I can’t recall the 2 but it takes a majority to hear it. But nothing was said past that on the merits of it.

It was implied they would fail to take up the texas lawsuit because having 1 state tell another how to do elections went against states right to determine their own elections. Or are you talking about a different case?