CHEYENNE (AP) -- For decades, Democratic presidential candidates have largely ignored this heavily Republican state.

Now, with a razor-thin margin separating Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, Wyoming suddenly finds itself relevant as the candidates scramble for the 12 delegates at stake in Saturday's caucus.

"In the grand scheme of things, Wyoming factors in for us," said Obama spokesman Matt Chandler. "We take it very seriously."

Only in the last few weeks have the campaigns stepped up their presence in the state. Both campaigns have set up offices, while calling voters and sending mailers. The first visits are planned for later this week. Former President Bill Clinton will be campaigning for his wife on Thursday, while Obama and Hillary Clinton will be attending events on Friday.

All the attention has Wyoming Democrats ecstatic.

"It's amazing. It's a once-in-a-generation type of opportunity for Wyoming to have a say in this presidential race," said party spokesman Bill Luckett.

Many say they haven't been this relevant since the 1960 Democratic National Convention, where 15 votes cast by Wyoming's delegation put John F. Kennedy over the top for the nomination.

"It's not like, 'Well, it's just Wyoming. We're going to write them off.' We do matter," said Cynthia Nunley, a Democrat from Lander. "We did in 1960 when we put Kennedy over the top, and we do this time because it is so close and our delegates can make a difference."

People all over the state want in on the action. The number of registered Democrats has grown by more than 1,000 since the start of the year, according to the Wyoming secretary of state's office. Currently Republicans have 136,000 registered voters, compared to 59,000 Democrats.

"People have contacted the campaign who are eager to help out. We're going to be harnessing that enthusiasm to really bring out the vote," said Clinton spokesman Blake Zeff.

It's not clear which candidate might have an edge. No public polling has been done. However, at least one prominent Wyoming Democrat has questioned whether Clinton's unpopularity would hurt other Democratic candidates in the West.

"I feel a lot of conservative Republicans may not show on Election Day to vote for Sen. (John) McCain, but they may show up to vote against her," said John Millin, state Democratic Party chair.

Millin's comments have sparked some controversy in the state.

"I think Chairman Millin is wrong. And I would go further. I would say it ill behooves the chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party to rule out one of the two leading contenders for the office," said Kathy Karpan, a former Clinton administration appointee who served as director of the Office of Surface Mining in the Interior Department.

Karpan, who also served as Wyoming secretary of state, said Clinton has had "every aspect of her political life scrutinized" while less is known about Obama.

Meanwhile, the state's top Democrat, Gov. Dave Freudenthal, has said he doesn't like any of the candidates, Republican or Democratic.

Freudenthal doesn't think they've spoken enough about Western issues. He hasn't endorsed anyone and will not say who, as a superdelegate, he will vote for at the party's national convention.

"I just don't usually get involved in it. I may or may not," he said.

Freudenthal leans to the right, as do many Democrats in Wyoming. They include former state legislator Dick Sadler, of Casper, who wouldn't rule out voting for McCain.

"You'll find that the majority of the Democrats in Wyoming are just like they are anywhere else. They're fairly liberal," Sadler said. "But there are a certain faction of them that are pretty darn conservative. And thank God for that."

Yet some Republicans in Wyoming may be willing to move to the left come November - if Obama is the nominee. Mike Vinich, a bar owner in Hudson, said several of his Republican rancher friends have told him they'd vote for the Illinois senator.

"They just don't like McCain," Vinich said. "And the ranchers hate Hillary. They won't vote for her. Each one I've talked to (says), 'I don't want that woman in there, but Obama sounds promising."'