| Results for Maine Republican Caucus (U.S. Presidential Primary) |
| Feb 11, 2012 (84% of precincts reporting) |
| Mitt Romney | 2,190 | 39.2% |
| Ron Paul | 1,996 | 35.7% |
| Rick Santorum | 989 | 17.7% |
| Newt Gingrich | 349 | 6.2% |
| Other | 61 | 1.1% |
| Source: AP |
Note: See this post on why the results show only 84% reporting.
Mitt Romney took 2 non-binding contests today, only one of which will lead to some delegates down the road. Maine Republicans finished a week long caucus process Saturday which culminated in Mitt Romney winning the top spot with Ron Paul punching in a close 2nd.
Report from CBS News:
Mitt Romney won the lightly-attended Maine Republican caucuses Saturday, reclaiming the momentum that he lost when Rick Santorum swept three states on Tuesday.
"I thank the voters of Maine for their support," Romney said in a statement. "I'm committed to turning around America. And I'm heartened to have the support of so many good people in this great state."
Romney won 39 percent of the vote, with 2,190 votes. He narrowly edged out the other candidate who seriously contested the Maine caucuses, Ron Paul, who won 36 percent of the vote with 1,996 votes.
There were 972,181 registered voters in Maine as of November 8 of last year, including 269,604 Republicans.
Paul, who is focused on small caucuses states like Maine, is the only candidate in the race who has yet to win a state. Romney and Santorum have now each won four states, while Newt Gingrich has won one.In remarks following the announcement of Romney's victory, Paul noted that not every caucus had taken place, saying there was one in particular that he expected to win that had yet to occur.
"It's almost like we could call it a tie, but anyway," said Paul.
As an annual tradition, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) holds a presidential straw poll which, in recent years, has been dominated by Ron Paul. This year was a bit different with Mitt Romney also taking the top spot, report from Fox News:
Mitt Romney won the presidential straw poll Saturday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an unofficial endorsement from party activists that nevertheless helps the former Massachusetts governor burnish his conservative image.
The Republican presidential candidate won with 38 percent of the vote at the Washington conference, the leading annual meet-up of American conservatives. The victory breaks a two-year winning streak by Ron Paul.
The results, though, showed Rick Santorum gaining traction among party faithful. The former Pennsylvania senator, who won three primary and caucus contests on Tuesday, came in second with 31 percent.
Newt Gingrich was third with 15 percent, and Paul came in fourth with 12 percent.
Cheers broke out at the conference when the results were unveiled, a sign of the robust pro-Romney contingent in the audience. The results came in as the GOP candidates competed on the final day of the Republican caucuses in Maine — Romney was later declared the winner of that contest, narrowly edging out Paul.
This will be a needed bounce for Mitt Romney still smarting from a three-state loss this past Tuesday. Ron Paul gave a solid 2nd place showing in Maine but it will be tough for him heading into the upcoming primary states since caucuses are his strong suit.
If only 84% is in then Romney hasn't won a damn thing yet it's a projection nothing more from what I understand Washington Country hasn't reported in yet which is about 200 votes if Paul wins those he wins Maine.
Washington County won't be reporting, as I understand it. They postponed a week due to a big snow storm, and the state GOP said they won't let Washington Co's votes be added in later. There are also several other counties that chose not to caucus this week - the caucus actually won't be finished until March 30th.
Too many people will take these announced results as if they were the delegate results, just as people are thinking that Santorum or Romney clearly won the delegate contest in Iowa. But if Minnesota and Colorado are good indicators, then Paul has already won Maine hands down. I guess we'll know at their convention.
WTF!!?? THERES NO CLREA WINNER YET!!
LOIS — correct. But the media awarded a victory to Mitt. That is the perception they want (since even if Ron Paul is declared eventual winner in a few weeks, it will be "old news").
Since it is all perception (and not truth) that elitist believe win elections, it is the main media's job to create illusion (what they do best).
These sources say there is a winner:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixx7rD1Mn4291VrvGAVrlH1PC1Kw?docId=ba7329f77c064214ae4527be65f7b2dc
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/11/republican-candidates-maine-caucuses/
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/02/romney-claims-victory-in-maine/
And so on..
Here's a reliable source that explains why the straw poll is still up in the air.
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/could-ron-paul-still-win-maine/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
I should note that by straw poll I mean the Maine straw poll. Calling it a straw poll is meant to reflect the fact that no delegates are (currently) based on the results of the statewide total. But the rules for awarding delegates won't be decided until the state convention, so it could be a factor.
And it's hard to imagine anything coming out of the state convention would ignore Washington county and the others that haven't voted yet. That would be a PR nightmare.
There's a good chance there will be more pro-Paul than pro-Mitt delegates at the state convention anyway. So they may be setting the rules.
Ryan Belcher —
As always, your posts are exemplary (you make more sense than most here)!
Bravo!
Yes, he could. He must work more intensively and people, who work by his campaign in USA. he is really the best solution for USA and for the rest of the world and he must do everything, what is in his power to win. And you as nation should help him. Vote properly. USA had never good, normal president. It is the last time to change this bad state of things and to elect good candidate. You have nothing to loose.
LOL FOX and ABC News a.k.a. Liberal media elite who lie more then they tell the truth I wouldn't trust anything coming from those two news stations.
The gentleman that announced the results said that not all caucuses chose to participate in the straw poll. There may well have been more support for Paul in those caucuses. If that's true, their decision is unfortunate for Paul because he needs the perception of winning if he is going to remain viable. Why did Paul skip the CPAC?
Go here to see the Maine results announced http://video.foxnews.com/v/1447419400001/mitt-romney-wins-maine-caucuses
Again anything for FOX, ABC, NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC I won't look at they do nothing but feed lies that suit their own petty agendas.
CPAC is like the Missouri Primary nothing but a beauty contest.
There is a big MITTstake!
http://iowntheworld.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/oromney.jpg
Roanoke, I doubt you would think it was nothing but a beauty contest if your candidate had won. Ron Paul won the last 2 years — why wasn't he there this year?
He spent yesterday prep'ing and today campaigning in Maine.
Roanoke, that link is a video of the gentleman announcing the results, and the way the caucus was setup. Sheesh, some people are so paranoid.
BigSlurpy, if very many people think like you do, America indeed is in big trouble. Why don't you try looking at the real candidate(s) instead of buying into so much media hype?
"Why don't you try looking at the real candidate(s) instead of buying into so much media hype"
This coming from somebody that links media hype? Honestly, if you cannot see that Obama and Romney are two sides of the same coin, then i truly wish you, along with anyone who legitimately votes for Romney, to do their research. There is an intellectual revolution going on and soon these dinosaur media outlets will be extinct, and good riddance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeD6pJ3yxR8
Have you heard of Judge Andrew Napolitano? He had a show called Freedom Watch on Fox Business, his show was recently cancelled.
"Truth is treason in an empire of lies" - Ron Paul
"A conservative, a liberal and a moderate went into a bar and the bartender says, 'Hey Mitt, how you doin?"
This just received by email…
———————
Open Letter to MAINE GOP Chairman, Charlie Webster, Assistant to the Chairman, Michelle Dale, and Executive Director, Michael Quatrano
From: Jim Condit Jr. and WatchTheVote2012.com
Despite efforts, apparently, of your Maine GOP State HQ office and some of the paid staff of the Ron Paul Campaign to prevent eye-witnesses from reporting results at each of the Maine Caucuses to election watchdog groups such as WatchTheVote2012.com — many eye-witnesses are coming forth anyway, as the population becomes more educated regarding how caucuses and primaries can be rigged at the upper levels.
We are intending to hold back some of the information we have until you release your "official results" on February 11, 2012.
Please do not force a re-run of the Iowa GOP State HQ debacle, whereby the Iowa GOP deliberately posted false results on January 3, 2012 in order to make Mitt Romney look like "the winner" before the world — only to have to back down in the face of Edward True's affidavit two weeks later — and declare Rick Santorum "the winner." We were holding more affidavit information to make public in Iowa, if the need had arisen.
The same is true in Maine. So please release the honest results on February 11, 2012.
We have posted enough results so that you can see that we are getting and posting accurate eye-witness reports of what actually happened at each caucus in Maine.
—————
Unfortunately I can't post the graphic here, but it shows a breakdown of precinct results in which Ron Paul is winning with 42%, Mitt Romney has 33%, Rick Santorum 20%, and Newt Gingrich trailing with 5%.
Thanxs a huge lot for sharing this, sooooooooooo important!!!!!
john carpenter —
Exactly!
Wish Starchild would post an e-mail — so we can contact these creeps!
notMitt—
"A conservative, a liberal and a moderate went into a bar and the bartender says, 'Hey Mitt, how you doin?"
LOL — good one!
anon, I did not link media hype. That link is to the video of the man announcing the outcome of the Maine caucus — he was not media, he was a caucus organizer. But you see fox news in the URL and decide it must be Fox's report — WRONG! Remain in your ignorance, it's your choice.
Starchild, are you suggesting that Ron Paul's campaign was in on the rigged outcome to show Mitt Romney the winner only to have Ron Paul be declared the winner at a later time?
I just googled the heading to your post, and I am pretty outraged. I listened to the guy, and he did not say he was announcing the caucus result, he said he was announcing the result of the straw poll, and that some caucuses had not participated in the straw poll. Why such lies!?! He said the caucus results would be announced at some future date, but I don't recall what that date was. He said this was only the beginning of the process for Maine to select its delegates — folks, why don't you listen to what's been said. Forget how the media messes it up - you can't blame him for their inaccuracy.
Marlene —
Just when I thought you were getting better at this…now this post….
That particular GOP rep announced FIRSTLY that Mitt WON (39% to Ron Paul's 36%)! As such his statement became TRUTH for that moment!
Then cameras flashed, people yelling "Go Mitt" were heard, applauding ensued for a time! Afterward, he QUALIFIED his statement that NOT ALL counts have been made as of the time of this ANNOUNCEMENT — a TRUTH cannot have ANY QUALIFIERS (since they negate its VALIDITY)!
As reprehensible as his MISSTATEMENT was — the main stream media's behavior was even more reprehensible! Instead of jumping on this — and exposing it as speculation, not true result — the media proclaimed Mitt as winner, and within minutes blanketed America with this "result"!
The illusion created by Maine's GOP was not challenged, but propagated as TRUTH by the media! Now every one knows that Mitt won — thanks to the main media's perfidy!
Your assertion that: "Forget how the media messes it up – you can't blame him for their inaccuracy" is but a weak attempt to excuse what is INEXCUSABLE!
If your going to advance yourself as a Politician — which you admitted a while back you are (and probably on Mitt's staff, that is a surmise, not a conclusion, on my part) — you should take Logic 101 (it will improve your chances of making less faux pas).
I'm glad Mitt won the Maine Caucus!
This was a rip off, with last minute 'rule changes', valid votes disqualified, and precincts favoring Ron Paul excluded from the count. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?authkey=CKT21ZkH&hl=en_US&key=0AjQBwcCtzwG8dEdGUWZjS1FwTW8wTzVyOEJ6dmg4cHc&authkey=CKT21ZkH&hl=en_US&f=true&noheader=true&gid=1&pli=1
ODIrony —
Good post. Is there a way to verify this (that will stand in a Court of Law)?
While I am inclined to believe it (after the Iowa fiasco), I would not commit as proclaiming it true — without valid proof.
I didnt see the caucus last night, but looks like Mitt won. Theres something wrong with all of these canidites. Mitt is nothing but a rich man. Newt has had a lot of afairs, and Rick is fake and has made racist comments. I still want mitt to win though.
Looks like Marlene is headed towards an awakening. She only misses the part where the media AND the GOP Establishment are both against Paul. Washington County was expected to be a big win for Ron Paul, and it was conveniently cancelled the day of the results, postponed, and then the chairman said it wouldn't be "counted" in the results of the straw poll, so Mitt Romney would stay the "winner" in the public eye, and they would keep incorrectly projecting the delegate totals to overestimate his "lead".
While this doesn't matter in the battle for delegates, its a perception thing. 90% of Americans (and I think I am being generous) base most of the decisions on television news and advertising. If Ron Paul doesn't "win" a contest, he can forget ever opening the eyes of the masses, or what I refer to as the "zombie vote". Not that the media wouldn't totally downplay a Ron Paul victory…
As Ron said in his Maine would-be victory speech "The revolution continues". We need to keep waking people up, and we all need to participate in the Feb. 14th Noone But Paul money bomb so he can keep campaigning.
RON PAUL 2012!
GREAT job cable news! You are waking UP more people then Even Ron Paul is with your see through Propaganda!
Oceanno69 — yeap, the main media is slowly revealing their true nature: Masters of Illusion.
What shenanigans! the GOP has made itself contemptible and transparently obvious. They don't want Paul to win. In Nevada they didn't even want him to come in ahead of Gingrich, so they stopped reporting voting figures or even counting in Clark County which is fairly pro-Paul.
In Russia tens of thousands protested voter fraud in the streets of Moscow. Here we put up with it and call ourselves "The land of the free". This hiding of the vote tally, and other methods of fixing the outcome of an election, in pro-Paul precincts is an abomination. Shame on you GOP! You deserve to go the way of ACORN. Here's hoping you do.
Will —
Spot on! We used to send US observers in Nicaragua to monitor fairness of elections there.
Maybe it's time to ask some Nicaraguans to come here and do the same for us….
We invented the model and how to rig it too. We try to export it so we can control it as well. While most Idiots give up their rights and responsibilities, intrusting these to bureaucrats and politicians, who sell them to the best bidder, so that they can pursue the American Dream, in a selfish, self-serving, unachievable utopia better known as the rat race trying to get ahead.
I still can't see why Romney was a better choice than Huntsman. I'm all for Ron Paul but I do understand how Americans do love war (history indicates) but to take Romney over Huntsman, could someone who is a Romney fan clue me in.
I guess there are no real Romney fans. Neither does the party or people trust him. He only seems more electable because the establishment brokered contributions and support from very large $$$ sectors. The question is who will he sell out in the end. He tries to please all so he does not convince any.
Huntsman started his campaign on the wrong foot with the traditional extremist of the party. The way he presented himself, and having served under Obama, got him discarded immediately. Not all his fathers money or the little traction he created could overcome the damage he did to himself from the start.
But on paper (his record) Huntsman beats Romney all around. What happened???
Seems like a no brainer, there are 50 states and 50 governors. Somebody has to be #1 and leaves with high marks. Romney did a terrible job and had low marks when he left. No way this guy is going to beat Obama
What we call the Media is nothing more than a Corporation for profits. Their best interest is Advertising Dollars. Their biggest worry is to not damage or hurt the effort to generate revenue for the station. Except for MSNBC and FOX who have a agenda and activist role, the rest only spin there opinions according to the support from the very large interest groups they serve. The drug, oil, insurance, banks, and other companies as well as charities, activists, social organizations and even the FCC, all have a contribution to make to networks in exchange for coverage of events, as well as the dismissal of other events or the spin of them. It's all negotiable for advertisement dollars. Any event or news can be used to promote someones interest. So somebody is paying to promote, dismiss, exaggerate, spin or twist any single event or controversy and sometimes create them too.
We have to learn to read in between the lines and be very skeptic of everything. The way things are presented always serves someones interest, and usually it's never the interest of WE THE PEOPLE.
Steve L —
Exactly! There was a joke in the 70's about the CCCP (the Soviets of old) national newspaper Pravda: "The only true item is the date…."
Seems we have finally achieved this in our main media….
Only to be fare, in their case it was taken by a very powerful army at gun point. We gave it up freely in exchange for BS promises.
Steve L — which makes it saddest!
Steve L —
The only way to prevent real voter fraud is to get a receipt.
When I invest into a product — buying a steak at the supermarket per say — they give me a receipt for my investment (shows the item code# and the date and time of my investment (purchasing in good faith, upon accountability by vendor, that I received the right product))!
Elections MUST be held to at least the same standard as buying groceries — when people invest into their Right To Vote, give them a VALID receipt for their investment!
If States can issue millions of Lottery Tickets weekly, that cannot be forged — why not be FORCED to do the same during the rare elections?!
Only way to prevent the "foul play, voter fraud" cry.
I am not concern with the fraud as much as the lack of education and participation of the majority. Zombies who vote without knowledge of our founding, the Ideals and values that once made us a great nation, not because of power, but because we were respected, for what we stood for.
People who are not interested in politics as if it was another Olympic or championship tournament, and who root for one or other team with complete disregard for our founding values.
Voter fraud is the least of our worries.
Steve L —
I disagree. People deserve their Governments. If many are culpable to be allowed to be brainwashed by media and trends — it is their fault, for what comes due.
However, Voter Fraud is the disenfranchisement of the qualified few who placed their INTELLIGENT vote in trust (but is taken away from them, since it contradicts the rule of the mob)!
Everything we need to RESTORE AMERICA is in the founding documents. The Declaration of Independence tells us WHY?, The Bill of Rights HOW? and the Constitution is the blue print on how to organize the Government. Ron Paul is only the messenger. He has awaken many people, and some zombies to the cause of personal responsibilities and the role of government. We do not need Ron Paul, he is only one man, who has served us well and we should appreciate greatly his many contributions, regardless of a win or loss in the republican primary. One single man can't do anything at all without the support of a great majority of We the People. Our Job is to awake and keep convincing everyone to participate in the process of governing. Whether RP wins the primary or not, or the Presidency, Our job does not finish there or ever. WE THE PEOPLE should never intrust a politician or a any party with our rights and freedoms.
Steve L —
Agree with one major qualification.
If Ron Paul does not get elected as US President now — we'll reach the Point of No Return!
Whomever else is selected, will bring an END to Ron Paul's message within a day! The near black-out that is imposed by the current media, will become TOTAL Black-Out…FOREVER!
Big Brother will grow bigger — while the citizens will become smaller… until becoming Subjects of the State!
According to the founding, it always depended in We The People. Never on a single leader or party. I doubt very much Dr Paul will ever see a Libertarian Majority. We would need to get everybody who isn't, involved.
A safe bet or strategy for this election, is to split the vote enough to prevent Romney of reaching 1144, then in a brokered convention, this will get Dr. Paul a seat at the table to broker a deal in exchange for delegates. I also doubt any will beat Obama. Republicans have a few possible hopefuls for 2016. If the GOP leadership became patriots, would they listen to the popular vote without making side deals with the interest groups? Both parties have a history of selling us out
If so, will have to be like Phoenix reborn from the ashes…
I also doubt any will beat Obama.
I'll drink to that:
The Corporate Vulture
The Family Values Man of the Year
The Prince of Pork
Ron Paul could beat Obama, because he is better, more honest and has better proposals.
And it is rather clear.
Steve L —
Not suggesting that one man replaces the founding principle of We The People — but that Ron Paul has ignited the spark needed to fire the flames of Liberty. If not elected, that spark will be extinguished, and the only bird coming out of the ashes will be We-The-People as roasted chicken….
The NOW goal is that Mitt never gets to 1144, and the hope is, as you stated, a brokered Convention.
Abe, JFK, MLK, were killed, still the fight for Freedom and civil rights, has not ended. Neither will greed and corruption ever end. It is and will always be a ongoing battle that will never end. Our founding left us documents which after 200 years are equally valid as they were then. The human conditions has not changed much. It's like a remake of an old play.
The clergy still trying to control us, the greedier power groups trying to impose their interest, a military sector who is always looking for wars or starting them to sell there supplies, and politicians selling there votes and our support to the highest bidder. Seems like this new generation only got more sophisticated. World domination is not a old theme. Militarily, Commercially, politically, it's still the same song.
On the other hand Lennon also got killed, and "Imagine" is still playing…
The IDEAS con not be killed.
Think you left out the fear factor. People just don't see the national debt as something to fear. Now Iran getting the bomb, that is fear.
national debt is really something to fear and new war, in perspective global world war is fear. Poverty is fear. Destruction of country is fear.
getting the bomb by Iran is NO fear for normal people
getting the bomb by Iran is NO fear for normal people
Normal people don't run up a 16 trillion dollar debt
Bama's worst nightmare would be debating Ron Paul (without a tele-prompter Bama can hardly put two coherent statements together, let alone an unscripted hour+ debate)!
Ron Paul's Constitutional knowledge, accurate historical data, superior by ten fold intellect, and good nature as a genuine caring person — even though not an orator (RP) — will by SUBSTANCE destroy the small-minded narcissistic Bama's empty Rhetoric and the Bankrupt Socialist Dogma he spews in ANGER when "displeased"!
Bama had some worries in debating Newt (the two can out-lie each other, on any given occasion). But now that Newt is nearly done — Bama is happy.
Bama is on top of the world NOW — since his reelection is about to be GUARANTEED by the GOP's choice to do whatever it takes (legal or illegal) for tepid Mitt to challenge him (Romney-Money is what the out-of-touch GOP hopes may counter Bama's billion dollars campaign)!
This will be the best outcome for Bama — to face flip-flopping Romney (since Bama can make Mitt turn any way he wants…after all Mitt stands for everything (and nothing)…depending on the audience)! Bama's writers have already scripted what Bama needs to remember, so he can rip Mitt apart on Bain Capital and Cayman Islands accounts!
Prediction: Bama wins by virtue of GOP's idiocy!
Cayman Islands accounts! Swiss bank accounts:
Now tell me why that isn't a smart move. Every shyster and his brother can get your money out of a U S Bank account. Romney may have set it up in Swiss francs or Canadian dollars.
Smart, very smart. It may not be in the best interests of the USA but what politician has ever put America first?