Minnesota gave Rubio his first victory of the 2016 campaign, and Bernie Sanders notched a victory there as well.
Heading into Super Tuesday, Minnesota was a toss-up on both sides of the race, but the state was especially important for Rubio and Sanders. Sanders needed to scoop up delegates where possible, especially after a crushing loss in Massachusetts. Minnesota—a majority white state with a progressive-leaning constituency similar to that of his home state Vermont—made for promising territory. Rubio needed to lock down one state where Trump wasn’t entirely dominant. His win in Minnesota reflects his suburban strategy to pick up delegates in highly educated Republican areas.
With a record number of GOP voters, Minnesota was also the first state to put Trump in third place, with just 21 percent of the vote.