2008 Minnesota Democratic presidential caucuses

Candidates

• Hillary Clinton
• Mike Gravel
• Barack Obama

Candidates Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Dennis Kucinich, Bill Richardson, and John Edwards dropped out of the presidential race before the Minnesota Democratic Caucus.

Money Raised from Minnesota

Process

Of the 88 delegates, 72 were allocated based on the results of the caucuses. Candidates were required to reach a threshold of 15 percent support at the precinct, congressional district, and statewide levels. Unlike other caucuses, there was no realignment of nonviable groups, and the results were binding for the delegates.

In 2008, there were more than 4,000 precinct caucus sites. Any Minnesotan who would be eligible to vote in the November general election, was not an active member of a party other than the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and agreed with DFL party principles was allowed to participate. All participants, by signing in, affirmed their agreement with the DFL's principles. The caucus included a presidential preference primary, in which voters cast secret ballots for presidential candidates. These results were tallied and used to elect 47 delegates from each of the state's eight congressional districts as follows:

An additional 25 pledged delegates were then allocated based upon the statewide caucus vote. Sixteen of these delegates were allocated for Barack Obama while nine were allocated for Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The remaining 16 delegates were unpledged superdelegates. The 14 Democratic Party Leaders and Elected Officials (PLEOs) included seven Democratic National Committee members, six members of the United States Congress, and former Vice President Walter Mondale. There were also two unpledged add-on delegates, elected at the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party State Convention.

Pre-Caucus Events, Predictions, and Polls

Main article: Statewide opinion polling for the 2008 Super Tuesday Democratic Party presidential primaries#Minnesota

Polling showed a tightening race for the nomination.

Caucus Night

Minnesotans turned out in record numbers to attend the 2008 Democratic Caucuses in locations throughout the state. The previous record turnout was about 80,000 in 1968 or 1972; the 2008 turnout exceeded 214,000. As the caucus results came in, Barack Obama consistently held a two-to-one lead over Hillary Rodham Clinton with strong support all throughout the state. Turnout at the Democratic Caucuses was significantly higher than at the Minnesota Republican Caucuses that night.

Following the results of the Super Tuesday elections, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar endorsed Barack Obama.

Results

References

References

1. (2008-01-29). "Minnesota Public Radio News and Humphrey Institute Poll". Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, [[University of Minnesota]].
2. "Unofficial Results Presidential Preference Ballot / Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Results". [[Minnesota Secretary of State]].