Three States, 70 Delegates at Stake Tonight

What do Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri have in common? They will all be holding primaries or caucuses tonight to determine who gets their delegates for the national convention in May and, ultimately, the Republican nomination for president. Aside from the delegates, the states will also give their winners a big boost in momentum – a Romney sweep makes him nearly unstoppable, a surprise win for Gingrich puts him back in the game, and upsets by Paul or Santorum will change the dynamic of the race. Here’s the quick breakdown on how each state will be fought and won:

Colorado

Romney expects to do well here, since he also won the state in 2008. However, Santorum is also polling quite well, thanks in part to falling support for Gingrich. Nevertheless, anything other than a Romney win will be a big upset. Prediction: Decent Romney win

Minnesota

Rick Santorum could do well here, and really needs to if he hopes to stay in the race. In Minnesota and Missouri, Santorum has a very high favorability rating. His personal popularity could propel him to a win here, and he leads slightly in the polls. Prediction: Santorum wins by a few points

Missouri

One thing can be said for sure about Missouri – Newt Gingrich will not win it. That’s because the Gingrich team has, again, failed to get their candidate on the ballot. This disorganized system will cost Gingrich votes once more, just as in Virginia Gingrich missed the filing deadline. This is unfortunate for Gingrich because he could have done quite well in Missouri. Instead, look for Santorum to pick up the slack (Note: Missouri’s primary is non-binding and the winner doesn’t necessarily get the state’s delegates). Prediction: Sizable Santorum win