SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4 News) – On Tuesday, 29 delegates will be up for grabs in Utah’s Super Tuesday primary.

Super Tuesday involves more than a dozen states and nearly 1,400 national delegates that Democratic contenders are hoping to win — so why do Utah’s 29 delegates even matter?

“Utah is not the biggest prize these candidates are going after, but it’s telling about their staying power, and how they appeal to this particular demographic of this state,” said Jason Perry, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics.

“It’s one of those things where — I would love to have it. That’s what these candidates are thinking. Is it a deal killer? Not necessarily. Unless, of course, we go all the way to the end, and there’s no candidate that’s able to get enough delegates under their belt — when you have some kind of brokered convention, for example — no one wants to risk that, the Democrats don’t want to risk it either. That’s why you really just can’t ignore a state like this,” added Perry.

And candidates are coming to Utah as a sign of its importance. On Monday, Sen. Bernie Sanders visited; so too did Sen. Amy Klobuchar, just hours before announcing she would drop out of the race. Sanders is currently leading in Utah, according to recent polling data, with former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg in second place.

“What every candidate needs is the delegates. In the end, that’s what matters at this point. If you want to get to November, to really take on President Trump, you have to go through those delegates first. And that is why they’re spending time here — and these candidates are spending time here in Utah. That tells you that it’s significant — it tells you it’s why they can’t ignore this state,” said Perry.

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