It was bitterly cold and blustery on the first Tuesday in February in a big statewide election year as the political party faithful held caucuses here and across the state.

Precinct tables for all of the county were set up at the Four Seasons Sports Complex and Event Center in Carlton, where Republican organizers were gleefully surprised by a turnout of about 125 people. They were busy early on setting up new tables for the people who just kept coming into the upstairs room with windows overlooking the ice sheet.

There are 39 precincts in the county and some tables had to be combined.

Orga...