The next big battleground?

The biggest prize on February 3 is Missouri, with 74 delegates. Pre-Iowa, it was considered a given that favorite son Dick Gephardt had a lock on the state, but when John Kerry arrived in the 'Show Me' state - on the ground and on the airwaves - today, he not only brought the momentum of a pair of impressive victories, he found a state poised to provide a third.

With the endorsements of former Kansas City Congressman Alan Wheat, Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay in hand, former U.S. Senators Tom Eagleton and Jean Carnahan on deck and key Gephard strategists on staff with Team Kerry, the resources are in place to capitalize on the double digit lead Kerry holds in the latest (post-Iowa, pre-NH) Kansas City Star poll.

The numbers going in:

Kerry 25
Edwards 9
Dean 6
Clark 3
Lieberman 2
Kucinich 1
Sharpton 1
Undecided 35