Those social issues, by most accounts, have played an important role in the Republican trend in the St. Cloud area since the 1970s. Kathy Carton, 49, mother of five and office manager at a St. Cloud radio station, says her opposition to abortion remains key in her voting and she'll be sticking with Pawlenty, Mark Kennedy and Michele Bachmann. As St. Cloud has become more fertile territory for Republicans, the Rochester area has become more politically competitive. Steve Schier, a political science professor at Carleton College, about half way between the Twin Cities and Rochester, said the area's reputation for being "rock-ribbed red" is out of date not only for Rochester and Olmsted County but for all of southern Minnesota. Otherwise, Abu said Pawlenty has made important overtures to the Somali community and he's likely to get his vote, even though "he raised taxes on cigarettes and property." Abu said he likes how Pawlenty is "always there for the troops." In the Senate race, Abu prefers Amy Klobuchar over Kennedy.