BANGOR, Maine — A flurry of last-minute activity by two Republican candidates has put the spotlight on Maine ahead of Saturday’s announcement by the state GOP of its presidential preference poll results.
Ron Paul’s campaign announced Friday that the Texas representative will return to Maine on Saturday in an effort to score his first victory of the primary season.
Paul spent two days in Maine ahead of last weekend, when state Republicans first began caucusing. As of Friday, 48 caucuses had been held across the state, according to GOP executive director Michael Quatrano. Another 37 are scheduled for Saturday, although Washington County caucuses were postponed late Friday because of the expected snowstorm on Saturday. They are now scheduled for Feb. 18.
Paul will appear at three caucuses Saturday — at 8 a.m. in Sanford, at 10 a.m. in Lewiston and at 12:30 p.m. in New Gloucester. He also will address supporters at a caucus party event at 6 p.m. at the Seasons Event and Conference Center in Portland.
The Maine Republican Party is hosting its own event on Saturday at the Regency Hotel in Portland, during which the results of a presidential preference poll will be announced. The preference poll will determine which candidate “wins” Maine but is actually separate from the caucus results, which won’t be made final for several weeks, Quatrano said.
Several Maine GOP leaders, including Sen. Susan Collins, House Speaker Robert Nutting and Secretary of State Charlie Summers, are expected to speak at that event.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who addressed Maine supporters at an event in Portland late Friday, announced earlier in the day that he too would appear at caucus sites on Saturday.
Romney’s campaign announced early Friday afternoon that the candidate would appear at caucus sites at 8:50 a.m. in Sanford and at 10:15 a.m. in Portland.
That means Paul and Romney could cross paths in Sanford.
The two candidates are in a close race to win the Pine Tree State, according to political observers. The two other Republican candidates, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, have not campaigned in Maine.
University of Maine political scientist Mark Brewer said he’s not surprised about the late push in Maine by Romney and Paul.
“This is probably Paul’s best chance to win a state,” he said. “If he can, it gets the monkey off his back.”
Politico reported this week that Romney bought television ads in Maine ahead of this weekend. He also participated in a tele-town hall on Wednesday during which he answered questions from Mainers on a variety of topics.
“After his losses on Tuesday, I would have had him in Maine on Wednesday,” Brewer said. “A loss here from Romney, it’s not catastrophic, but it’s certainly a continuation of bad news. I could see problems for Romney on Super Tuesday.”
Romney had been cruising toward the nomination until earlier this week, when Santorum swept a trio of states — Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri — to stall the front-runner’s momentum. Many conservative Republicans do not appear ready to embrace Romney as their choice.
In the 2008 Maine GOP caucus, Romney was supported by 51 percent of caucus participants, followed by eventual nominee John McCain at 21 percent and Paul with 18 percent.
Brewer said he still thinks the longer the GOP nomination process drags on this year, the more it helps President Barack Obama.
Admirable, but this Washington insider has no chance (nor do any of the others) against the best leader our country has ever known – President Barack Obama!
President Obama tried to get this country on its feet but the GOP was dead set in opposing him every time. And they were loud and critical of his every word. Too bad people let the media mouths think for them or they’d see for themselves this nation is no further along with a House full of Republicans. What jobs have they created? These are the guys supported by the business leaders who shipped American jobs oversees. What are they waiting for if they intend to create jobs at home? I’d have faith in the GOP if they and their constituents used the past 3 years to show America they really deserve the presidential podium.
I have voted mostly republican for most of my life. But, after witnessing the republican tactics of the past three years, I’ll NEVER VOTE FOR ANOTHER REPUBLICAN as long as I live.
I expected that I would disagree with President Obama on economic issues but I had high hopes for him in the area of civil liberties after the disastrous Bush years. Unfortunately, Obama has continued most of the Bush-era policies he campaigned against, and actually expanded many others. Obama has given us continued war in Afghanistan and Iraq (tens of thousands of contractors and a multibillion dollar base isn’t leaving, and the troops would still be there too if there wasn’t a treaty already in place that they had to go); more military activity in Libya, Pakistan, and Yemen; the assassination of American citizens; the NDAA that allows indefinite detention of American citizens by the military; and increased wiretapping and snooping by the government. Not to mention the awful unemployment numbers, exploding national debt, and the fact that the dollar is losing its value before our eyes. I guess that’s what you get from a president whose biggest supporters are from the Wall Street banks (kind of like Bush and Romney and most politicians).
Ron Paul is the only candidate who’s going to fight this corruption and stop the destruction of the middle class. He wants to end the wars and have our troops defend THIS country… and he’s the only one who cares about our civil liberties. There’s all the other candidates, then there’s Ron Paul. Why do you think the media does their best to pretend he doesn’t exist?
guess that’s what you get from a president whose biggest supporters are from the Wall Street banks (kind of like Bush and Romney and most politicians).Open up your wallet and send them some money!
April R.–perhaps you are one of the so-called 99%? If you truly believe that Barack Hussein Obama is the best leader our country has ever known, then you have been hiding under a rock for the last 3+years. He is actually worse than Jimmy Carter, and that is being mild.
He doesn’t have to be the best leader our country has every known, he only has to be better than one person, and that’s the candidate the GOP serves up. And so far, the GOP can’t find a good alternative. hope you enjoy the next four years, “Life and Freedom.”
“hope you enjoy the next four years, “Life and Freedom.”
Well now that’s a nice example of a trite, snarky response. So what are you a proponent of “Opression and Tyranny”?
How can you seriously respond to a comment in such a manner? You obviously understand that you support a president who has implemented a radical ideology which has attacked the constitution and seeks to erode the very foundations of our human liberty…our basic human rights. So why do you sit here and jokingly mock someone who believes that humans should be free from the radical, oppressive, idealogical policies you support?
If you were paying close attention, you’d see the poster I was responding to is named 4lifeandfreedom, so “Life and Freedom” is merely a reference to the name he is using in the forum.
Our President isn’t radical, oppressive or destroying the Constitution. Simply doing his best to address the set of issues he was given, and doing it with one hand tied behind his back (a GOP that controls the House and effectively controls the Senate through threat of the filibuster. A GOP whose goal is to see him fail, even if it means harming our country in the process.)
To follow the point of my first post, I still believe he is doing a better job that the slate the GOP offered up in 2008 would have done. And that he can do a better job than any of the candidates the GOP is offering in 2012.
Glad to see Ron Paul back!
Why just the “other” Maine?
This is NO contest!
These clowns are proposing More of the Same thing that got us into the Great Recession.
We have a guy in place that is slowly moving us away from the insanity of Deregulation and No Taxes.
We got a country to run folks, give it to the Dem, that had the cahoonas to see to it that every American would have health care, pull US car manufactures out of oblivion, and send the terrorist Bin Laden to the deep blue sea!
Its half time America !
You don’t know what you are talking about. It was socialist policies that caused the current recession as well as all the previous ones. Such things as the Federal Reserve, fractional reserve banking, income taxes, free health care, welfare, bailing out banks and automobile companies, redistribution of wealth, and the Government spending way too much money is what has greatly harmed the economy. Now Romney, Newt, Sanitarium, and little Barry Soetoro will us give more of the same problems that will lead to America’s demise. On the other hand if Ron Paul is elected, he will resurrect the constitution, which will allow the people to take back the liberties the government has stolen from us, and restore our prosperity for as long as the Government is strictly limited, and kept out of the way.
With pitted tongue safely ensconced in my right cheek please join me in forming the fledgling Maine Chapter of the NAANCP (National Association for the Advancement of Non-Colored People). We could then legitimately be called- -without fear of being labeled a hyphenated, politically- inspired rascist — Caucasian -Americans! We could all easily assume the unsubstantiated moniker of ” Reverends” and establish clearly- transparent “non-profits” for our own benefit. Who could besmirch such “we do it for the children” ataxic atavisms?
RINO Romney:
*Pro abortion
*Anti 2nd Amendment
*Worker unfriendly
*Pro ObamaCare,,, aka RomneyCare
*Pro Quimby National Park
Ron Paul:
*Is Ron Paul afraid to comment on Quimby….?
I will not support or vote for “any” candidate that will not oppose Quimby
Good luck with that. If anything the puppets of the globalist establishment would support her. Ron Paul is the only candidate who would even consider opposing Quimby. He has specifically stated that it is not the role of federal government to own property of any kind, including land. In his opinion all parks should be state managed so the people have a more direct means of control and oversight.
No, actually Ron Paul has been repeatedly asked about this and refused to directly oppose the park project.
RINO Romney supports Quimby Land
Ron Paul seems to be afraid of Quimby
Newt is considering it
Santorum staff says they are working on crafting a press release
For 140 YEARS our GREAT nation PROSPERED with ZERO income tax.
A leading economist stated in the Wall Street Journal that ZERO income tax would be the GREATEST jobs creator this world has ever known.
RON PAUL is “the only” presidential candidate that advocates reducing our income tax to ZERO …… ZERO!
That is only ONE of the GREAT accomplishments for our nation if we have the will AND will ELECT….. Dr RON PAUL …
We NEED …. YOUR .. help at the Caucuses .
Zero just does Wonders for the “Defecit” doesnt it!
Its pretty clear that at this point we have a spending problem not a taxation problem. The spending goes up every single year
You, like most people, do not understand how the government is funded. Taxes, especially income taxes are just a small portion of the federal income. They sell weapons, the sell bonds and there are corporate taxes. Taxing American citizens for their work is anti-productive and is used for keeping poor people poor. If the federal government followed the constitution there would not be a need for a federal income tax.
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/0a03ebddbb/ron-paul-a-bad-lip-reading-soundbite
….
Ron Paul is the absolute best candidate to restore this country to what it once was.
Prosperous and free.
the other candidates are all sleazy, corrupt, tell you what you want to hear politicians.
….
Actually, he does. Obama’s fallen below 50% on approval and most polls show Dr. Paul doing very well against him with the most recent beating him.
In reality it doesn’t matter. This isn’t about one man becoming president. This is about a revolution of thought and policy, and the fight has only just begun.
he won’t be elected because of people such as yourself that always vote for more of the same BS year after year.
….
The part of the NDAA bill that everyone has such an issue with is that there is a section stating that US citizens on US soil can now be arrested and detained indefinitely, without charge and without the right to counsel, on simple suspicion. It violates the 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments of the Constitution. This bill was signed in to law by our current President. Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum all support this bill. The only candidate running for the US Presidency that does NOT support this bill is Ron Paul.
Our national debt is currently $15.3 Trillion; the chances of hitting $20 Trillion without a monetary collapse are slim. The budget deficit for this year alone is already projected to be $1.1 Trillion. Santorum’s overall plan will result in adding $900 Billion to that deficit in his first year. Gingrich’s overall plan will result in adding $850 Billion to that deficit in his first year. Romney’s overall plan will add $180 Billion to the deficit in his first year. These candidates have the sheer nerve to call themselves conservatives. Obama will not cut spending either and we will likely suffer collapse by the end of his next term; where will that leave all of the people who depend on entitlements and assistance to survive?
http://news.yahoo.com/study-santorum-tax-plan-swells-deficit-900b-080423488.html
Additionally, if we go to war with Iran, the added debt and money printing will cause the monetary collapse to happen much sooner. There is ZERO chance that we will be the first human civilization with a fiat currency to continue printing money and not suffer a collapse. Ron Paul is the only candidate who would actually reduce overall spending and try to fix our monetary system to avoid this. Nevertheless, you need to be prepared. Please make sure that you have enough supplies stocked up so that you and your family can survive the collapse; recovery from it could take several years!
When Clinton left office – we had a large surplus and could have paid off our national debt.
The first thing that George W. Bush and the GOP did in 2001 was give massive tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires.
We went from surpluses to massive deficits within a year.
And how did George W. Bush and the GOP fund their War of Lies in Iraq?
With more deficit spending.
What did we get from George W. Bush and the GOP deficit spending?
We lost 8.7 million jobs.
Do not look to the GOP for answers to our debt problems.
Yessah
Obama has made Bush’s debt look like a pittance. Bush spoke like a conservative but was a liberal in all he did. We need change, the R and the L doesn’t matter they are all owned by corporartions and do not owe allegiance to the citizens. One person has spent 30 years voting for citizens. He has never voted for antax increase. He voted against SOPA, NDAA, PIPA. He has a proven record of supporting his fellow man and spent his life curing people. He has received more support from the military than the president and all the other candidates combined. He has more support from minorities than any of them also. Dr. Ron Paul stands for change that America needs.
Actually George W Bush is the president that increased the national debt the most:
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/09/20/5145120-chart-national-debt-by-president
LOL…Rachel Maddow’s blog?
that’s like me tellig you something is true because “Rush Limbaugh said so”
absolutely zero cred…..both of them!
“When Clinton left office – we had a large surplus and could have paid off our national debt.”
Absolute B.S.!!
You live in fantasy land
It isn’t totally incorrect, but what they neglect to point out when they say this that the house was republican run and they are the ones in control of US spending.
Clinton also signed NAFTA and sent even more of our jobs elsewhere.
He is as corrupt as they come and sold the american people out.
The Circus is coming!
Clowns and Geeks!
Goodie!
CAUCUSES CHANGING LAST MINUTE: be careful to double check where yours is! —> http://www.ronpaul2012.com/caucus
NEW caucuses added include:
Oxford – Porter – 2/11/2012 – 10:00 – Molly Ockett Middle School – 25Molly Ockett Drive – Fryeburg – 37Penobscot – Corinna – 2/11/2012 – 10:00 – Newport Town Office – 23 Water Street – Newport – 4953Penobscot – Plymouth – 2/11/2012 – 9:00 – Emmanuel Bible Babptist Church across from 1910 Moosehead Trail – Plymouth – 4969Somerset – Norrwidgewock – 2/11/2012 – 10:00 – Norrwidgewick Town Office – 16 Perkins Street – Norridgewock – 4957Somerset – Smithfield – 2/11/2012 – 1:00 – Smithfield Town Office – 926 Village Road Smithfield – 4978
TO THE GOP ESTABLISMENT : REFLECT DEEPLY !!
et’s talk how nominating Romney will guarantee President Obama 4 glorious more years. Let’s talk about electability , 99 % of christians in USA will not vote for a faithful former Mormon Bishop ( still active in his church ) with magic underwear , who believes he has no choice but practice polygamy in heaven, who has heard the confession of thousands of women …….and yes, yes, the Church has adopted openly anti-feminist positions on political matters like the Equal Rights Amendment. …….. plus
Olympic scandals, and baptizing King Tut, Elvis, the Popes and going to heaven by avoiding coffee. !!
“Rick Santorum is the only conservative candidate who is positioned to defeat Obama because he can credibly and effectively attack the president for supporting big government healthcare mandates, government bailouts, and radical cap and trade initiatives,” Santorum advisor Hogan Gidley told The Daily Caller i
“Mitt Romney can’t attack Obama on any of those major issues because Gov. Romney agrees with Obama on all of them — and his attack and smear campaign is his way of avoiding his liberal record.”
Rick Santorum is a warmongering, big government spending, morality legislating, racial profiling neo-con. Newt Gingrich is less dangerous than Santorum, and that’s saying something.
Dont Bother Ron-
Now that I know Ron Paul is afraid to oppose Quimby I’d rather have Newt, Santorum or no one at all…!
Ron Paul would eliminate the Dept. of Interior and sell off federal lands, so he certainly would not support a new national park. Look at his proposed budget:
http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/ron-paul-plan-to-restore-america/
Precisely, bw. He is the only candidate decidedly opposed to federal land grabs.
Then get him to make a stand against Quimby
So why is he soo afraid of making a stand against Quimby,,, and its not for a lack of people asking…
I think he has bigger fish to fry they Quimby. He probably isn’t even aware of Quimby or her national park idea.
I am sorry, but this Nationally Important Issue shows a sitting president accepting campaign donations from a bitter old “conservative hating” green agenda driven millionaire, then putting her on the National Parks Board, then sending Ken Salazar to Millinocket to “tell us” that we really don’t have a much of a say in this process….
Not Enough,,, it has already been proven it will destroy any hope, and/or future for the paper industry and irreversibly damage the timber industry here in Maine.
All this for what is essentially a straw poll – no delegates will be awarded in Maine until May.
Dear people of Maine,
I know it’s going to be cold there on Saturday, and there’s a 100% chance of snow, but Ron Paul could really use your support right now –we all want limited government and low taxes. Romney is guaranteed to give us more of the same big government as Obama.
So please drive carefully and get the vote out for Ron Paul.
Take care.
Romney has no ability to relate to the people of Maine,Maine people are hard working and generaly responsible and honest.They don’t hide their money in of shore bank accounts.I don’t see many good choices out their for us most candidates and politician’s don’t even make sense anymore when they speak of us as a people,And they certainly don’t act like they have our best interests at heart in DC.
Ron Paul voted against TARP, against the Patriot Act, against the NDAA – and wrote legislation to remove the clause that allows the military to pick up and detain citizens indefinitely. He voted against SOPA.
He is the Chairman of the House Subcommittee that got a partial audit of the FED. Thanks to Ron Paul, they found more than $16 Trillion in secret FED loans. Some of these loans, just like the bailouts, went to the same corporations that support both Romney & Obama. Goldman Sachs for one, who is already deeply embedded in the White House and the government.
Ron Paul will stop the illegal, unconstitutional, unprovoked wars, and end all occupations. Bringing these troops home will also inject their money into our economy. Bringing them home will also save enough money to save Social Security, Medicaid/Medicare, and other social programs.
Ron Paul will cut the real spending, the budget by $1 trillion the first year, and balance the budget within 3 years. No one else is proposing real solutions. All they talk about is trimming little bits around the edges of planned increase spending. It’s truly insane.
Romney and Santorum were for TARP, for the Patriot Act which takes away our 4th amendment rights, for the NDAA allowing indefinite detention of civilians by the military, for SOPA which would have shut down large segments of the internet, for Obamacare, and for big money interests. Santorum was voted one of the 3 most corrupt in Congress 2 years in a row, and is a lobbyist. Santorum wants you to think there is a jihadist under your bed, even as Israel says they want the US out of their business as Iran is no threat to them, or us.
There is one honest, consistent, principled candidate. Ron Paul. He is the only candidate who has ever told us the truth, the ugly, realistic truth about our government. He is the only one who stood up to the corrupt FED, and the military industrial complex. He is also the only Veteran. He is the only monetary expert.
His foreign policy is supported by the majority of the troops, former CIA analysts, and many foreign policy experts.
I urge you to vote for Ron Paul. Statesmen come along rarely, once every few generations. This is the time. Ron Paul is that candidate. He is the only candidate who brings in youth, independents, and Democrats. He is the only one who can beat Obama, because he is pulling in Obama’s base of support. Ron Paul is also respected in foreign countries for his sane and common sense approach.
Please, bring your friends, relatives, neighbors to vote for Ron Paul. This is our chance to bring this country back to sanity, reason, peace, and prosperity before the out of control government makes it impossible to do peacefully.
If you have to makes extra rounds to pick people up to get them to the caucuses, please, do it. Urge everyone you know to help us take this country back. Encourage them to vote for RON PAUL.
VOTE For PEACEVOTE For RON PAUL 2012
The reason that Romney and Paul are both back in Maine today is that the GOP saw that Paul was winning by a huge margin in early Maine caucus results, and they panicked. Their response was to suddenly and quietly ad several additional caucus sites all over Maine yesterday, in an effort to pack those new sites with Romney supporters, without telling Paul supporters in advance. That’s the reason for the last second push: because they GOP establishment is terrified of Paul’s popularity and momentum and is playing dirty in an effort to thwart him. They have no honor, and no dignity. Dr. Paul will restore both to the White House, if we all have the courage to stand united with him.
In 2008 I had the voting opportunity of an American lifetime. It was crazy exciting, thousands of people surrounding the Bangor Auditorium, people were in the trees! We had the chance to vote for a person who’s educational achievements are most excellent and well suited for the presidency. And for an added bonus we would say no to woefully unqualified vice president, and yes to showing the world that a black man can be elected. Say what you will but that alone had to help heal some old wounds if not prove a point. Some of you may be calling me “suckkkeeerr” but i know I did the right thing. Now it is time to do it again but this time Ron Paul is the obvious choice. Thanks to Obama, Snowe and Collins we now live under the Defense Authorization Act. I am not an extremist, I am a father of two and a proud American, if you truly care about liberty, I would urge you to cast your vote for Ron Paul.
What a shame it would be if the nation didn’t have the opportunity to at least hear the man and consider his ideas in the forum of a national election. Give a man with fifty+ years of public and private service a shot at the brass ring,Maine. Bundle up,vote Ron Paul,and tell your kids you were there when the dam broke.
I read somewhere today that the GOP has already given the win to Romney and said that the votes on Sat will not count. Is that true? That head of GOP there is a criminal if so. Ron Paul supporters deserve a chance to vote.
I would think that most of you would vote Ron Paul he’s the only one who seems to stick to the constitution when he votes on bills etc has his whole career the rest are just money mongering lier’s. I would say he’s your only choice if you want your constitution to servive another 4 years.