Numerous reports out of Maine say that supporters of presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) are going try and hijack the Maine Republican Convention being held this weekend through their trademark organizing prowess. The conflict is an extension of the non-binding caucus vote that took place in February, which the Republican Party announced were won by Mitt Romney in a close vote, 39 percent to 34.9 percent in only a little over 5,000 votes cast.
At issue was that a caucus in Washington county, where Paul supporters claimed they were set to make major gains, was rescheduled due to a snow storm. The Maine GOP declared Romney the winner without those results, which angered Paul supporters, who now hope to use the state convention as a way to gain more delegates for Rep. Paul. From the AP:
Paul Madore, Paul’s state chairman, said Friday that the libertarian-leaning Texas congressman’s supporters hope to get their hand-picked chairman elected as the two-day convention begins this morning, giving them a voice to reflect Paul’s close second-place showing in Maine’s caucuses.
Competition for the chairmanship underscores a division between mainstream Republicans and the libertarian wing as the state GOP seeks solidarity in the battle for Sen. Olympia Snowe‘s soon-to-be-open seat and to build upon legislative majorities it won two years ago.
That crucial vote will be the first indication of whether Paul’s forces have the muscle to carry the convention as it adopts a platform and elects delegates to the national convention.
“The first vote will tell the story,” said Madore, of Lewiston.
