Politics

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ― Minnesota voters had extra incentive to show up at precinct caucuses Tuesday night: For a change, the presidential nominations were far from clinched when their turn rolled around.

Unresolved races in both parties -- especially the close battle between Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama -- and a caucus held a month earlier than usual put Minnesota in the thick of the action.

About two dozen states held primaries or caucuses Tuesday for one or both parties. The Republican candidates battled over 1,023 delegates to the national convention; Democrats had 1,681 delegates to the national convention on the line.

Hundreds of people streamed into Simley Senior High School in Inver Grove Heights for a Democratic caucus. One of them was Bobby Mandell, an 18-year-old who came out to support Obama, even though he said his doctor had advised him to stay in after a weekend appendectomy.

"In the past, I've looked at the campaigns and it's been which candidate is going to hurt us the least," he said. "This debate, I really think it's which candidate is the best and that's how it should be."

Minnesota had 72 Democratic delegates riding on the caucuses, and those were to be allocated proportionally based on a candidate's showing in the binding preference ballot. There are another 16 separately chosen party and elected officials known as superdelegates, who are free to back any candidate.

Only six Super Tuesday states boasted more Democratic delegates than Minnesota -- a prize too big for Obama and Clinton to ignore.

Obama aired radio and TV ads in the state and pulled in 20,000 people to a weekend rally in Minneapolis. Clinton managed almost 4,000 people at an event held just as the Super Bowl was starting.

U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, an Obama supporter, said the neck-and-neck race between the senators added more excitement to these caucuses than past ones.

"People know their voice counts," McCollum said. "Their footsteps to the caucuses really matter to the selection process."

Clinton supporter Amy Rotenberg said she and other Minnesota backers planned to spend the final hours contacting friends, neighbors and fellow book club members urging them to show up at local caucuses, even if they just cast a ballot and leave immediately.

"A short amount of time can make a very big difference hopefully in the outcome of the election," Rotenberg said.

Minnesota offers 41 Republican delegates, but the GOP's caucus night straw poll wasn't a binding event. All but three of Minnesota's delegates are chosen at congressional district conventions and the state convention in the spring.

Still, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Rep. Ron Paul carved out time to campaign in the state. Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee were Minnesota no-shows, although Huckabee's wife appealed for votes on his behalf.

The Independence Party, a major party in Minnesota, conducted in-person caucuses and began its "virtual" caucuses that allow people to express online preferences over the next month. Among the decisions was whether to support a movement to draft New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for an independent presidential campaign.

The caucuses marked the official beginning of what is certain to be a hard fall fight for Minnesota's 10 electoral votes. Although Democrats have carried the state the last eight presidential elections -- dating to 1976 -- Republicans have put considerable effort into turning the tide in recent years. The party will hold its nominating convention in St. Paul in September.

The presidential race wasn't the only draw for caucusgoers.

The caucuses were also the first test of strength among Democratic candidates vying for the party's U.S. Senate nomination. Al Franken, Mike Ciresi and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer hoped their supporters would turn out and take the first step toward being delegates to the late-spring state party convention.

U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, seeking re-election for the first time, is a shoo-in for the Republican nomination.

(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)