Anybody want $50?

[slim 1,525]

On Saturday, the Maine Republican Party released the results of a presidential preference straw poll that had been conducted over several weeks at municipal caucuses. The party declared Romney the winner by 194 votes over Ron Paul.

The result was immediately called into question by supporters of the Texas congressman, and for good reason -- not all the votes were counted. The tally was made public even though most towns in Washington County had yet to caucus -- their meetings were postponed because of snow -- and will instead be held this weekend.

Furthermore, the results published by the Maine GOP had no votes recorded from another 200 cities and towns. Some of the smaller locales were not scheduled to hold caucuses, though many others did.

Pressure has been building on the state GOP leadership to recount the votes. Chairman Charles Webster had told the Portland Press Herald on Wednesday that he did not want to do so until the state committee met next month.

That stance may be changing. Politico reported Thursday that Maine Republican Party leaders have contacted local party officials to ask them to "reconfirm" the vote totals. A spokesman for the party could not be reached Thursday, but a statement on the caucuses will be released Friday.

Though it criticized how the state party conducted the vote, Paul's campaign has said it would not seek a recount on its own. Spokesman Jesse Benton told USA Today the campaign wasn't interested in having the party review the "meaningless, partial" vote.

Maine's caucuses were the most poorly attended of any of the GOP contests to date, with only a few thousand people turning out. The straw poll conducted at the local meetings has no impact on how the state will ultimately award its 24 delegates. Most will be selected at district and state conventions in May.

Still, the Romney victory was cheered by his campaign, especially after a trio of losses earlier in the week -- in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado -- to Rick Santorum. On his Twitter feed, Romney wrote Saturday: "I thank the voters of Maine. I’m committed to turning around America & am heartened to have the support of so many."

It was Santorum who defeated Romney in Iowa's caucus on Jan. 3, declared the victor by 34 votes two weeks after initial tallies had declared Romney the winner.

$50 in gold

[웃 910]

In Maine, party rules allowed a winner to be declared last week, even though several towns had not voted yet and their votes would not be counted in the total.

But then the caucuses in Washington County were postponed because of bad weather. That meant that the votes from an entire county would not be included in the final tally.

Charlie Webster, the state’s Republican chairman, initially said that Washington County’s absence from the total vote would not matter because in 2008, only eight people in the county had voted for Mr. Paul.

(I think I could compete with that!)

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/romneys-victory-in-the-maine-caucuses-is-at-risk/?smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

FTW Yeah! LI how quickly are you gonna pay off? I mean, can we plan on a dinner out on you for Sunday? Or are you gonnaw wimp out and make us chase you for it?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

In Maine, party rules allowed a winner to be declared last week, even though several towns had not voted yet and their votes would not be counted in the total.

But then the caucuses in Washington County were postponed because of bad weather. That meant that the votes from an entire county would not be included in the final tally.

Charlie Webster, the state’s Republican chairman, initially said that Washington County’s absence from the total vote would not matter because in 2008, only eight people in the county had voted for Mr. Paul.

(I think I could compete with that!)

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/romneys-victory-in-the-maine-caucuses-is-at-risk/?smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto

Oh, here we go.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Maine is done and RP did NOT win there. Get over it already.

[slim 1,525]

Maine is done and RP did NOT win there. Get over it already.

Just like Santorum did NOT win in Iowa?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Just like Santorum did NOT win in Iowa?

Dude, you gotta let reality in every once in a while.

From the Maine GOP:

Mitt Romney Wins Maine Caucus

MITT ROMNEY

Winner of the Maine GOP Caucuses

Portland, ME Feb 11, 2012 – Maine Republican Chairman Charles M. Webster and Vice Chair Ruth Summers issued the following statements announcing Mitt Romney as the winner of this year’s caucus process and thanking our volunteers and Maine voters for participating in the process. Romney wins Maine caucuses with 39.2 percent of the vote.

“We would like to congratulate Governor Romney on his win in the Maine caucuses, and thank Ron Paul and Mitt Romney for making stops in Maine over the past several weeks. Maine People were excited to cast their first vote against the Obama agenda and we look forward to working with our Republican presidential nominee to defeat Barack Obama in Maine,” said Maine GOP Chairman Charlie Webster.

Maine GOP Vice Chair Ruth Summers said, “We owe many thanks and congratulations to our volunteers across the state who worked so diligently organizing these caucuses. These caucuses would not have been possible without our State Committee who promoted this concept. It was wonderful to see so many Maine people turn out to vote in the presidential straw poll and participate in the caucus business. We are truly a grassroots party and the work they started is critical to moving our Party forward and winning in November.”

Maine is considered a ‘beauty contest’ state when it comes to caucuses. That is to say, there are no national delegates ‘won’ or ‘bound’ to any Presidential candidate in our caucus process. At the caucuses, we elect state delegates, election clerks, and in some cases town officers. What we also do is ask those participating in the caucus, to take a poll on which Presidential candidate they prefer. This is an unofficial, non-binding poll, that just simply show’s a ‘snapshot’, or takes the current ‘pulse’, of which Presidential candidate has the most support at the participating caucuses throughout the state. Some caucuses decided to not participate in the Presidential poll, and will caucus after this announcement. Their results WILL NOT be factored into this announcement after the fact. Again, this is an unofficial, non-binding poll, and we will elect our actual national delegation, from the floor of the state convention on May 5TH and 6TH.

Mitt Romney has 39.2 percent of the vote with 2190 votes, Ron Paul has 35.7 percent with 1996 votes, Rick Santorum has 17.7percent with 989 votes, and Newt Gingrich has 6.25 percent with 349 votes.

There, it's done. Mitt won.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Just like Santorum did NOT win in Iowa?

Santorum won Iowa?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Santorum won Iowa?

Yes.

Iowa GOP Officially Declares Santorum The Iowa Caucus Winner

[luckytxn 2,264]

Yes.

Iowa GOP Officially Declares Santorum The Iowa Caucus Winner

OMG. We're doomed!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

OMG. We're doomed!

I am expecting my $50 if Ron Paul wins a state. I hope this is not some hoax like global warming, I don't give rat's @ss about global warming but I want the $50!

Edited February 17, 2012 by Gary and Alla

[luckytxn 2,264]

I am expecting my $50 if Ron Paul wins a state. I hope this is not some hoax like global warming, I don't give rat's @ss about global warming but I want the $50!

It is a hoax.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

$50! woohoo more cash!

[Love's JAA 100]

Ru Paul's running for president?

[웃 910]

Any update for the Ron "Always Last Place" Paul campaign out of Maine?

Rumor has it he picked up close to 100 votes but not enough to beat Romney.