(This post will be bumped to the top all day on 2/7/12)
[Update] CNN reports the projected winner in Missouri is Santorum. 2nd Place for Romney, Paul in 3rd.
[Update] CNN reports the projected winner in Minnesota is Santorum. Paul in 2nd, Romney 3rd and Gingrich 4th place.
[Update] CNN reports the projected winner in Colorado is Rick Santorum.
Will report final totals tomorrow.
Once again Wake up America will be joining Right Pundits as we live blog the Colorado and Minnesota 2012 Caucuses on February 7, 2012, with live discussions on exit polls and results, beginning at 7pm EST.
The Missouri primary, Tuesday, February 7, 2012 will also be covered but that is mostly a "show" primary and on March 17, 2012, Missouri holds their caucuses.
[Update] In fact, the RNC sends out a reminder:
Colorado is a non-binding precinct caucus. Their 36 delegates will be chosen at district conventions held between March 31 – April 13, 2012, and at the state convention on April 14, 2012.
Minnesota is a non-binding precinct caucus. Their 40 delegates will be chosen at district conventions held between April 14 – 21, 2012, and at a state convention on May 5, 2012. Delegates are not bound unless the state convention passes a resolution to bind the delegates.
Missouri will hold a primary tomorrow that is not recognized as being a part of any delegate allocation or selection process.
A precinct caucus will be held on 3/17/2012 to begin the process of choosing their 52 delegates which will be chosen at district conventions on April 21, 2012, and a state convention on June 2, 2012. Candidates for delegate must state a presidential preference at the time of nomination and will be bound to support that candidate for one ballot at the national convention.
(Full Republican primary/caucus schedule found HERE)
Updates will be added throughout the day below the chat feature until it goes live with the discussion, then results will be added on top in the final updates once they are published.
[Update] According to Public Policy Polling, Santorum is headed for a big day in two of the the three contests held today.
Rick Santorum could be headed for a big day in today's contests in Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri. Missouri looks like a probable win for Santorum. He's at 45% there to 32% for Mitt Romney and 19% for Paul. Minnesota provides an opportunity for a win as well. Currently he has a small advantage with 33% to 24% for Romney, 22% for Newt Gingrich, and 20% for Ron Paul. And Santorum should get a second place finish in Colorado, where Romney appears to be the likely winner. The standings there are Romney at 37%, Santorum at 27%, Gingrich at 21%, and Paul at 13%.
Santorum's personal popularity is the main reason for his sudden reemergence as a relevant player in the GOP race. In all 3 of these states his favorability is over 70%- 74/17 in Minnesota, 72/17 in Missouri, and 71/19 in Colorado. He's far better liked than his main opponents- Romney's favorability is 47-60% in those states and Gingrich's is 47-48%. While Romney and Gingrich have hammered each other in recents weeks Santorum's been largely left alone and he's benefiting from that now.
If Santorum takes two of these states as polling indicates he might, this would go a long way toward negating the "Romney is inevitable" meme from the media and Republican establishment as well as showing other states before Super Tuesday that Romney cannot fully connect with voters, and cannot close the deal across the country.
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