As Democratic primary voters in Michigan weigh the differences between Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden this weekend, one more to consider is Sanders will be here in person.

Sanders has canceled efforts in other states and plans to criss-cross the state this weekend, appearing in Detroit, Dearborn, Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor. Biden, meanwhile, is sending surrogates while he appears in other states this weekend and plans two in-person events on Monday, the day before the election.

Related: A complete guide: How to see Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders campaign events in Michigan this weekend and Monday

Candidate visits do make a difference in the vote, experts say.

Political scientists have found candidate appearances do make a difference in the votes, said Michigan State University Institute for Public Policy and Social Research Director Matt Grossmann. It’s partly because when you have a rally “it usually generates local media coverage and people just hear ‘the candidate’s here, the candidate cares about me.'”

Sanders told reporters ahead of a rally in Detroit on Friday night he was putting an emphasis on showing up in Michigan, a state he considered maybe the most important on Tuesday.

“We’re going to be here. Michigan is obviously a very important state in terms of the nominating process. We’re going to work as hard as we can,” Sanders said.

The difference between his approach to this weekend and Biden’s is one of strategy. But it comes in a state that may be sensitive to candidates putting in the time here because of a perception the 2016 candidate, Hillary Clinton, took Michigan for granted and didn’t spend enough time in the state.

President Donald Trump, by contrast, spent a lot of time in Michigan, including for his final rally of the cycle, on the eve of the election.

“It could be true that because of last time, people are watching that more closely,” Grossmann said.

When it comes to Biden and Sanders, the different strategies may make sense for each of them, he and other experts say.

Michigan directly in Sanders’ path

Adrian Hemond, partner and CEO of political consulting firm Grassroots Midwest, points to a difference between what Biden and Sanders need out of Michigan next Tuesday.

“Michigan’s a must-win for Senator Sanders. It’s not for Biden,” Hemond said.

Sanders is running behind in the delegate count, with 573 to Biden’s 664. Candidate U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, has 2.

Michigan, with 125 delegates to add to candidates’ coffers, is the biggest delegate count state of the ones voting on Tuesday.

Sanders canceled an event in Mississippi, which some read as an indication he didn’t expect to perform well in the South. He shifted his focus and his schedule to Michigan, a state he won in the 2016 presidential primary, and kicked the weekend off with a rally in Detroit on Friday.

Related: The big question for Michigan Democrats: Is Biden or Sanders more likely to beat Trump?

The visit earned praise from supporters like Rhonda Cushman, 60, of Redford.

“I’m glad he’s here. I’m glad he’s making the effort," Cushman said. “He’s going to be here all weekend. It’s good for him to be here.”

But Biden showed on Super Tuesday he could win in states he didn’t personally visit, Grossmann said, while Sanders struggled to turn people out.

“The people who are going to vote for Biden are going to show up anyway, and that’s not true of Sanders’ potential supporters,” Grossmann said.

Biden is sending surrogates across the state in the coming days, including former presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, and former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. He’s also locked up some key endorsements, including from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and will be here personally on Monday.

At a Biden event with Klobuchar in Southeast Michigan on Friday, former Michigan Gov. Jim Blanchard said he wished Michigan got more time with Biden, but it didn’t concern him that Sanders would be here in person all weekend.

“He’s coming here, I think to ... try to salvage a victory, I think they’re worried,” Blanchard said of Sanders’ presence in the state.

“I think it’s still fluid. I mean Joe is moving around everywhere, so we’ll see plenty of him in the last two days. The reality is, the good news is that Joe’s spent a lot of time here over the years. He’s well-known.”

Per his campaign, Biden is slated to appear in Missouri and Mississippi over the weekend. He will spend Monday in Michigan and Tuesday in Ohio.

Hemond said the dynamics of Michigan’s primary are different for Biden.

“I expect he probably will win Michigan, but it’s not a must-win like Sanders,” Hemond said.

Both sides expected to show up big post-primary

While Democratic frontrunners courted voters in earlier states, Trump and Vice President Mike Pence each spent time in Michigan. Trump visited a Macomb County manufacturer in late January and Pence was most recently in Michigan for a February rally.

And Republicans expect President Donald Trump to be in Michigan frequently over the course of the cycle as well.

“It definitely brings strength to our base, and it’s good to come and talk to the voters of Michigan. And unlike Hillary Clinton in 2016, Donald Trump will not take the state for granted,” said Michigan Republican Party Communications Director Tony Zammit.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said as the election moves forward, coming in person helps candidates both tell their story and hear about issues that are important with Michigan voters.

“Absolutely we expect the nominee to come to Michigan over and over again. I think it’s important for our candidates to be seen and heard in the state," Barnes said.

Both Democrats and Republicans are focused on building up their ground games ahead as the election moves forward. Republicans have already

Related stories:

A complete guide: How to see Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders campaign events in Michigan this weekend and Monday

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer endorses Biden, joining campaign as a national co-chair

Elizabeth Warren tells Michigan she’s the ‘woman to beat Donald Trump’ at Super Tuesday campaign rally

What happens if I voted for someone who dropped out of Michigan’s presidential primary?

What Michigan voters need to know about absentee ballots for March 10 primary

The big question for Michigan Democrats: Is Biden or Sanders more likely to beat Trump?