BOISE -- Jonathan Parker, the Executive Director of the Idaho GOP, is happy that the race for the Republican nomination is so close. Rick Santorum just pulled an upset sweep on Tuesday.
"This is looking like it's going to play out, possibly until the convention, but at the very least, until the Idaho caucuses on Super Tuesday, March 6th," said Parker.
With a close race, every delegate counts. Parker says, winning Idaho's 32 delegates could become a key element to winning the nomination.
"Idaho has more delegates than Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada," he said. "So, Idaho really could be a key prize."
Parker says that's why all the candidates -- Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich -- have said they will "do their best" to make stops in Idaho, to either campaign or fundraise. Romney makes a fundraising appearance next week.
"We're having a county-by-county presidential caucus, which gives Idaho Republicans an opportunity to really have a say on the national scene, as far as who our presidential nominee will be," said Parker. "As far as I know that's the first time that's ever happened."
Parker is expecting as many as 10,000 people for the Ada County caucus at Taco Bell Arena, which could make it one of the biggest in the nation. But is that realistic? Caucus attendance is down across the nation.
On KTVB's Facebook page, a few people said they were looking forward to the caucuses. But more showed their distaste for the whole process.
Tammy writes, it's "Antiquated, fraught with pointlessness, and I want no part of it."
Just as many commenters were Democrats. One of which, Chryssa, pointed out that Idaho Democrats made history "four years ago, when our caucus was the largest in the nation." That's according to the Idaho Democratic Party.
But that record-breaking Democratic gathering in 2008 could be the best proof that Republicans can draw a massive crowd this year, in what they call the "reddest of the red states."
All that doesn't necessarily mean that any or all of the candidates, or national media will be in Idaho on Super Tuesday either. There's nine other states that will be holding a caucus or primary then, six of those have more delegates, and they're high-profile states like Ohio, Massachusetts, and Georgia.
If you'd like to take part in the Idaho Republican caucuses on March 6th, you must be registered as a Republican, or register at the event.
