Minnesota steps into media-political spotlight

Posted at 4:10 PM on February 7, 2012 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Politics

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Republican politics may offer some surprises tonight in Minnesota, where conservative candidate Rick Santorum led in one poll. Yes, it's non-binding, so would count more for bragging rights than anything else, MPR News political reporter Mark Zdechlik writes.

But, hey, anything with your name on top counts as a win.

Still with only a fraction of Republicans expected to attend caucuses in Minnesota, the polling here isn't viewed as absolutely reliable. The Star Tribune writes:

A wide spectrum of Republican strategists now say Paul's passionate and deeply devoted followers could swarm the caucuses, giving the Texas congressman his first win and potentially creating a seismic reshuffling of the GOP field.

National political experts are paying particularly close attention, because the state has a history of embracing quirky politicians, potentially giving Paul his last, best shot.

The Wall Street Journal has a quick, handy guide to tonight's contests in Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri.

For an international flavor, the UK paper The Guardian brought a filmmaker in to ask Minnesotans what decided their vote.

"And by 'Minnesotans, they mean about five white people on either a city block in Minneapolis or a shopping mall in Maple Grove." MPR News blogger Bob Collins wryly notes.

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