The equivalent of a Vermont Republican, a Wyoming Democrat certainly isn’t arriving at his or her political stance because it’s the popular thing to do.

Republicans have a more than 2-1 edge in voter registration — or even 10-1 in some counties — so you can imagine the surprise even among Democrats themselves at the sudden relevance of their caucuses on Saturday.

Wyoming has 18 national Democratic delegates to apportion — 12 of them to be decided, directly or indirectly, by the caucus voting Saturday.

An even dozen. The fewest possible in this convoluted system. Wyoming has approximately 522,000 residents, or fewer than every other U.S. state including Vermont (621,000) and even Washington D.C. (588,000).

But every delegate matters in this race.

As Democrats around the nation digested the results of the March 4 voting, when Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton broke a string of victories by her rival for the nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, the fallout remained unclear.

One thing is certain: It’s not over, and therefore, Wyoming is back on the table. Obama’s delegate lead is estimated around 100. The Equality State won’t shift it much in either direction, but momentum is also critical.

Wyoming: Known for breathtaking scenery, not Democratic caucuses that matter.

Barack Obama has done well in the West and particularly well in caucuses, with his energetic grass-roots supporters pushing hard on his behalf. But Clinton’s momentum after her Tuesday victories could tighten things considerably.

Momentum is also a factor in a Democratic race where jockeying for position and the perception of being the frontrunner have become increasingly important.

Both candidates would surely love to claim a modest boost from a Wyoming victory, although Clinton would surely tell you it doesn’t matter the second she lost.

Where the respective Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton messages fit in is fairly hard to say in a state where a conservative — although often more libertarian — point of view is shared across much of the political spectrum.

Either way, it’ll be interesting to watch tomorrow. Record turnout is expected, and hopefully, Obama can point to Wyoming as another supposedly insignificant, red-leaning state that paved his way to the Democratic nomination.