More than two-thirds of influential Republicans from around the Twin Cities Patch areas believe Mitt Romney can pull off an upset win in Minnesota in 2012. First, the survey shows, the presumed nominee has to reach out to Ron Paul Republicans. Ninety-six conservatives from Twin Cities Patch areas—from St. Michael to Woodbury, Fridley to Northfield—were surveyed last week in Patch’s inaugural Twin Cities Red poll, which focused on November’s biggest race. Forty responses were collected. When asked if they felt Mitt Romney could pick up a win over President Barack Obama in the fall, two-thirds …

It was all over in the span of 30 seconds. Sam Richards, 20, was one of at least two protesters at Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's rally in Eagan on Wednesday. He watched as fellow protester Nick Espinosa dumped glitter on Romney at the beginning of the speech and was hauled out by security. And then it was his turn. "My nerves went away, I did it, and then I was being dragged out," said Richards, who identified himself as an Occupy Minnesota protester. "It was all said and done in 30 seconds." Richards was the second of two protesters to hit Romney with a "glitter bomb"—a …

Speaking from Freightmasters in Eagan on Wednesday, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney targeted President Obama and the economy in a 15-minute speech. Romney is fresh off his victory in the Florida primary, where he dealt a decisive blow to fellow Republican presidential rivals Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. Romney took 46 percent of the primary votes, compared with 32 percent for Gingrich and 13 percent for Santorum. Ron Paul took 7 percent of the vote. The energy and momentum Romney gained in Florida was apparent on Wednesday in Eagan, where a handful of political insiders, …