Ron Paul wins Washington County GOP caucus – WGME

Ron Paul wins Washington County GOP caucus
February 18, 2012 21:50 GMT

EAST MACHIAS, Maine (AP) — Ron Paul has gained 83 votes on Mitt Romney following a Republican presidential caucus in eastern Maine, but Romney still holds a 156-vote lead over Paul in statewide totals.

Paul received 163 votes in Saturday’s Washington County caucus, where Republicans from more than two dozen towns gathered to cast their votes. Romney received 80 votes. Rick Santorum got 57 votes and Newt Gingrich received four votes.

The Maine Republican Party last week declared Romney the winner of the state’s GOP caucuses, but Washington County Republicans were angered their votes weren’t counted after their caucus was postponed last Saturday because of a snowstorm.

County Chairman Chris Gardner says the state party should include the caucus tally in the final results.

The Republican State Committee will consider the request next month.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

Republicans from more than two dozen towns gathered Saturday to cast their presidential preference tallies a week after the state party declared Mitt Romney the caucus winner, and they have no guarantee their votes will be included in the final results.

Washington County Republicans delayed their caucus last weekend because of a snowstorm, and the county chairman was furious to learn the votes won’t be included in the official statewide tally.

The vote announced by Maine GOP Chairman Charlie Webster a week ago had Romney narrowly winning with 2,190 votes, or 39 percent, compared to 1,996, about 36 percent, for Ron Paul. The party said Friday that a recount now shows that Romney won with a 239-vote margin out of 5,814 votes cast.

But Paul’s campaign believes a strong showing in Washington County could flip-flop the results, even though state party leaders say that’s unlikely.

Washington County Chairman Chris Gardner said he’s releasing Saturday’s votes to the media, who can update their totals regardless of whether the state party chooses to.

“Regardless of who wins, those votes need to be counted, and that’s what we’re doing,” he said.

With heightened interest in the caucus, along with Saturday’s sunny weather, Gardner expected a good turnout. But he couldn’t project which candidate a strong showing might favor. He said Romney and Paul have strong ground campaigns and Rick Santorum has strong support in the county, which is nestled in far eastern Maine along the Canadian border and has a population of about 32,000 people.

“We have never seen this type of press around a caucus event in Washington County,” he said Saturday. “It’s obvious people have a renewed or newfound interest in our little county and our proceedings. I’m sure the presidential campaigns will do their best to turn people out and if nothing else there’ll be a curiosity factor by some Republicans who aren’t as politically engaged as others.”

The Republican State Committee will consider Washington County’s request at its next regular meeting on March 10, said Mike Quatrano, the party’s executive director.

Maine’s caucuses are like no other. In most states, parties hold caucuses in a day. In Maine, Republicans have from January to March 20 to hold local caucuses. But the state committee told towns that if they want to be included in the presidential preference poll, they need to hold caucuses between Feb. 4 and Feb. 11.

Dozens of towns elected to stick to their own timetables.

Ignoring a request by the state party might come as a shock in other parts of the county. But Maine’s Republicans don’t like to be told what to do, reflecting the state’s independent spirit, said Rick Bennett, a GOP National Committeeman.

“There is a tradition and tradition often trumps the guidance that might come from some distant authority,” he said, referring to the GOP state headquarters in Augusta.

Thus, the unveiling of the winner truly was a snapshot of activists who chose to participate, and the nonbinding straw poll may not have much bearing on the apportionment of delegates to the national convention. That’ll happen at the state party convention in May.

“Delegates are not committed,” Bennett said, “so it’s more of a beauty contest than an indication of how those delegates will fall at the convention.”

Maine used to have presidential primaries — a one-day vote at polling places — but those were scrapped because the parties had to pick up the costs.

There are advantages to caucuses, however, because local leaders have flexibility in terms of timing.

Maine’s leisurely way of caucusing does carry advantages for a candidate like Paul, who has a loyal base of supporters.

“People realize,” Bennett said, “they can come here and make their case and without spending outrageous sums of money get their message across.”