LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) – The Wisconsin Presidential Primary is April 3 and Dr. Stephen McDougal, of the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse Political Science Department, says it could be a tight race.
McDougal says Presidential nominees are normally decided by the end of March, even if candidates can't officially claim the honor until their respective national conventions.
He says that's because trends at the polls, or among specific groups of voters, indicate which person a party will turn to.
But McDougal says that hasn't been the case with this year's GOP race, and that means the nomination could still be up for grabs when Wisconsin heads to the polls.
"I think it's important that every campaign treat every primary election as serious at this point," McDougal says.
"The victories yesterday for Santorum, as marginal as they might be in the bigger picture, still indicate that the Republican rank and file has not solidified behind any particular candidate," he adds.
But the idea of a pivotal primary in the Badger State certainly excites its Republicans.
"Competition is great for the process and great for our candidates," says Julian Bradley, of La Crosse County's Republican Party.
"I think the competition between Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2008 made for the strongest candidate" he adds. "It kept Obama in the press. I think that's going to happen for us right now."
1,144 delegates are needed to clinch the GOP nomination.
