Story highlights 25 delegates will be selected this weekend for the GOP convention in July

They will be unbound to specific candidates

(CNN) The Republican race will center on Fargo, North Dakota, this weekend where Republican leaders and party activists will pick 25 delegates to the Republican National Convention.

It's not the frozen tundra this time of year, but North Dakota is getting a rare bit of attention from the remaining Republican candidates, each looking for even the slightest edge. Ted Cruz is scheduled to speak there Saturday, Donald Trump has dispatched opponent-turned surrogate Ben Carson on his behalf and John Kasich's campaign is sending top staffers.

The Cruz campaign is also sending Carly Fiorina and Kasich is sending former New Hampshire Sen. Gordon Humphrey, North Dakota GOP Executive Director Roz Leighton said.

The small number of delegates from North Dakota would hardly be an issue in any other election year. But with Trump hewing to a narrow course to the 1,237 delegates needed to the secure the nomination, and anti-Trump forces achingly close to denying him that, every state and delegate counts.

And the fight for North Dakota's delegates is only starting -- unlike most other delegates, they will not be committed or "bound" to any candidate on the first ballot heading into the convention. Instead they will be free agents, able to vote for whoever they choose at the convention in Cleveland.

Read More