Minnesota up for grabs in Tuesday's caucus

12:20 AM, Feb 5, 2012   |    comments
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ST. PAUL, Minn. -- With just three days to go until Tuesday's caucus, there is still no clear front runner to win Minnesota.

Professor Larry Jacobs at the Humphrey Institute says it is hard to figure out who is ahead in the Minnesota's race but Mitt Romney has an edge.

"He's got a better organization and Ron Paul should not be dismissed because he's got a pretty good organization in Minnesota.

Only 60,000 people state-wide are expected to turn out to caucus. These people are the most devoted of political activists. But even some, like Mike Dolezal, who was a back-up delegate in the last election cycle, isn't very excited about his choices.

"All the candidates seem to have a downside to them," he said.

Other voters say they have a hard time connecting with candidates, especially Mitt Romney.

"I don't like him (Romney) a lot. He doesn't seem to be very sincere," Andrei Solodin, a caucus goer, said.

But experts say Romney's recent win in Florida may help him in Minnesota and a win here could help carry his campaign forward.

"It will help us figure out if Romney is building this crushing momentum or (he) is finding another state with conservative voters not backing him," Jacobs said.

Romney's rival, Newt Gingrich, hasn't announced plans to visit Minnesota yet, but Dolezal said if he had to pick a candidate Newt may be the one.

"I think Newt is great because he has experience in government," he said.

(Copyright 2012 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)