Rep. Marty Seifert was well behind when results of the first ballot were tallied -- Rep. Tom Emmer had 53 percent to his 43 -- but he said the race was far from over.
Between the first and second ballots, Seifert took the time to work the delegate floor and got a lift.
"Don't worry about us. We're solid," one delegate told him.
"I'm for whoever Sarah Palin is not supporting," said another.
Seifert told reporters that he knows of delegates that would vote for him on the second ballot who didn't on the first.
"We have people that have told us on the floor that they were elected on an Emmer slate ...but they feel that I'm the better candidate so they're going to switch their vote," Seifert said.
Two of the minor candidates in the race -- Phil Herwig and Bill Haas both dropped out after the first ballot and tossed their support to Seifert. Although neither had many votes, their support could help Seifert begin a lift, he said.
"This is a pretty critical ballot for us. Number two," he said. "We feel that we are going to pick up votes. Absolutely."
