The race for the Republican nomination is heating up with Minnesota’s caucuses just a week away and multiple candidates having dropped out in the several days. Donald Trump is fresh off of winning both the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries, and Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are working to ensure that a Trump nomination is not inevitable.
The Minnesota caucuses are taking place on March 1st in correspondence with other Super Tuesday primaries. Super Tuesday refers to the thirteen states that host their primaries on the same day, also known as the “SEC Primary.” States represented hail from every region of the country: South, West, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and greater continental.
Marco Rubio will be seeking to win his first state in the primary process. He has arguably the strongest network of support of any candidate in the state of Minnesota, and has the most big-name endorsements. Just this week former Governor and GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty appeared on CNN’s New Day to voice his support for Rubio. Also, according to the Star Tribune, former St. Paul Mayor and U.S. Senator Norm Coleman has shifted his support from former Governor Jeb Bush (who has dropped out of the race) to Rubio, calling him “the most qualified” and “our best hope.”
Rubio’s support stems to well-known and respected GOP congressmen. In a statement released by Rubio’s team, Representative Erik Paulsen is also giving his endorsement to Rubio. Long serving Representative John Kline offered Rubio his endorsement in an early February tweet, asserting: “Marco Rubio’s bold, conservative ideas are what America needs and I am pleased to endorse his candidacy for president.”
Rubio’s state campaign is being managed by former State Representative and 2012 gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson. Johnson currently serves as a Hennepin County Commissioner.
For all intensive purposes Marco Rubio is set up for a strong showing in Minnesota. What remains to be seen however, is whether or not he can leverage the support of big name political power brokers in Minnesota to win his first primary state in his run for the GOP nomination. Alpha News had the opportunity in September of last year to talk with Senator Rubio and ask him about his plan to turn Minnesota red in 2016.
In a typical year endorsements of these types would render a candidate the perennial favorite to win, but this year is far from typical. Rubio had the endorsement of the popular Governor Nikki Haley and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, but did win the state’s primary last Saturday. To stay up to date on Rubio’s visit to Minnesota today as well as the Minnesota caucuses, subscribe to Alpha News.