We bow to no one in our skeptical approach to the Missouri primary tomorrow -- for the Republican Party, it's an expensive straw poll that won't bind convention delegates.

But the state is getting an unfair rap compared to the other states casting ballots tomorrow: Minnesota and Colorado.

During his morning show, for example, MSNBC's Chuck Todd said (paraphrasing here) that no one would really be watching Missouri because it's just a beauty contest, unlike the two caucus states of Minnesota and Colorado.

But Minnesota and Colorado, which will caucus Tuesday, are holding votes that are just as non-binding as Missouri -- only with far fewer actual voters taking part.

After all, both states are jumping ahead of the March date just like Missouri. Both Colorado and Minnesota face losing half their delegates, just like Missouri, unless they leave delegate unbound from Tuesday's votes.

The results from the two caucus states are very similar to Iowa, where the caucus results may or may not be reflected in Tampa.

From the Green Papers:

Tuesday 7 February 2012: (Minnesota) Republican Party Precinct Caucuses meet to choose the precinct's delegates...There will also be a non-binding straw poll re: Presidential Preference held in coordination with these Precinct Caucuses.

Tuesday 7 February 2012: (Colorado) Precinct Caucuses meet in each precinct to choose delegates to the County Assemblies and District Conventions. There is no formal system applied in the Precinct Caucus to relate the presidential preference of the participants to the choice of the precinct's delegates to the Colorado County Assemblies and District Conventions; however, a non-binding Presidential Preference poll of the delegates will be conducted.

In Nevada -- which is binding -- about 33,000 people voted. In Missouri Tuesday, more than 900,000 people are expected to cast ballots.

Which contest is -- or should be -- more meaningful?