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Talking Points: Why Wis. Primary Is So Significant

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Voters in Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington, D.C. will cast their votes on Tuesday in the Republican presidential race. But much of the national attention has been focusing on the Wisconsin primary.

In tonight's Talking Points, Esme Murphy takes a look at why what happens in Wisconsin on Tuesday is so significant.

In Republican contests on Tuesday the big prizes are Maryland and Wisconsin. In Maryland, there are 37 delegates at stake and in Wisconsin there are 42. But it's Wisconsin that is getting the most attention from both the national media and the candidates.

Political analyst Professor Larry Jacobs of the Humphrey Institute appeared on WCCO Sunday Morning.

"You have Rick Santorum, who is the leading alternative to Mitt Romney, putting his time and energy and resources into Wisconsin," Jacobs said. "He has more or less skipped Maryland so the expectation is this is where Santorum has a shot. Will he win the polls? So far as you suggested showing him behind by a bit."

Right now, Romney holds a commanding lead in the all important delegate count. Romney has more than 560 -- more than double the amount Rick Santorum has -- and 1,144 delegates are needed to win the nomination.

You can watch WCCO Sunday Morning with Esme Murphy every Sunday at the show's new time of 10:30 a.m.

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