In an attempt to downplay expectations for tonight's Missouri primary, and the caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado, Mitt Romney's camp released a memo reminding us that no delegates are at stake tonight. He does so because Rick Santorum and Ron Paul have much more to gain tonight than Romney has.
"It is difficult to see what Governor Romney's opponents can do to change the dynamics of the race in February," wrote Romney's Political Director Rich Beeson. "No delegates will be awarded on February 7 - Colorado and Minnesota hold caucuses with nonbindng preference polls, and the Missouri primary is purely a beauty contest."
With Romney far enough out front that he can poo-poo such contests, and with New Gingrich focusing his energies on the March 6 Super Tuesday primaries across the South, tonight will be about Paul and Santorum - can either of them have a big enough night to put themselves in position themselves as a viable alternative to the yet unpopular frontrunner?
Santorum is hoping to gain ground tonight with the backing of the social conservatives in Minnesota and Missouri, and the Evangelicals in Colorado, and Ron Paul always gets more mileage out of his small band of fervent supporters in caucuses than he does in primaries.
Though no delegates will be awarded tonight, we are still early enough in the nomination process that accumulating momentum is more important than accumulating delegates. Mitt Romney's support amongst conservatives is still based mostly on voters' lack of alternatives, but Republicans are willing to back him if they feel he has the best chance of defeating Barack Obama.
The Santorum camp still holds out hope that they can provide the alternative to Romney that Republicans crave, while Ron Paul is simply hoping to build momentum for the uniqueness of his Voice In The Wilderness message as he ponders an independant Presidential campaign.
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Follow Bison Messink on Twitter: @BisonMessink
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