Super Voter Turnout in Minnesota

Posted on Wednesday, February 6, 2008

One thing is clear after Super Tuesday, Minnesota voters are pumped for this presidential election.

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney notched convincing wins in their party caucuses in Minnesota.

Obama defeated Hillary Clinton 2-to-1 in votes cast by Democratic caucus-goers. In the GOP non-binding straw poll, Romney easily won over John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul.

But the extraordinary turnout is just as big a part of the Minnesota story. Consider this: Clinton racked up more votes than people who caucused as Democrats in 2004 -- and she finished a distant second.

In southwest Minnesota, party leaders in Rock County were pleased with turnout last night.

Democrats were on course for turnout above 200,000, nearly four times as high as the last presidential year. Republicans came out in smaller numbers, but still set a record for the party. With more votes still to be tallied, the GOP's turnout topped 60,000.