Straw-Vote Early Leaders

Two Democrats and a Republican are establishing themselves as the candidates to beat for party backing in the Minnesota governor's race.

Tuesday's caucuses were stage one for the party endorsement process.

Marty Seifert attracted more than 50 percent of the vote in a GOP straw poll.

The nonbinding poll results for Democrats favoured Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and state House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher.

Party supporters in Koochiching County threw their most of the support behind House Representative from the Mesabi Range Tom Rukavina.