BLAINE, Minn. – (Mar. 4, 2016) – Record turnout meant long lines at caucus sites all across Minnesota on Tuesday night. More than 3,500 people showed up at a jam packed Blaine High School to caucus for their favorite candidate.
Many of those in attendance were also in the audience a few miles away earlier on Tuesday as Republican hopeful Sen. Marco Rubio made a stop in Anoka County to rally his supporters. “You will have your chance to step forward and begin to answer probably the most important question you can answer in an election. What kind of future are we going to have?”
The rally helped propel Rubio to his only Super Tuesday victory. With Rubio running third behind Donald Trump and Ted Cruz he has strong support from Republicans in Minnesota who still believe he can stop Trump. “I do not think that it is over,” said Anoka County Board Chair Rhonda Siviarajah.
Rubio spoke to the crowd for about 40 minutes. He left his supporters energized. Anoka County Commissioner Robyn West said, “you can’t fake authentic and this man is authentic.” Siviarajah added “Marco Rubio is a candidate that can truly unite this country.”
There were many young people in the crowd at the mid-day rally including college senior Micah Olson. “Having a great optimistic message for our country and I think that is really important” said Olson.
As many voters went to their caucuses later that night they went with Rubio’s vision for the future fresh in their minds. “Because we did what needed to be done our children became the freest and most prosperous Americans that ever lived” Rubio predicted.
What remains to be seen is if Rubio will have a chance to write that future for the Republican Party.
