So Romney’s presumed supporters, neither diehard fixtures nor fired-up outsiders, probably stayed home. Yet, while the oddity and conservative tilt of the caucus format are part of it, there’s also this quirky Minnesotan preference when it comes to politicians.

To be sure, we vote for our share of mild men in red rep ties, such as Tim Pawlenty or Walter Mondale. But this is also the state that elected wrestler Jesse Ventura as governor on a third-party ticket. And one of our current U.S. senators played Stuart Smalley on “Saturday Night Live.”

Unconventional politicians thrive in the northern climate. They do even better if they are outspoken, principled, and difficult to classify. They are best off if they have an outsized, perhaps slightly zany personality that nevertheless seems genuine and unafraid to speak from the heart. It’s like New York with a lot more Ed Koches.