Posted on 02/08/2012 7:13:28 AM PST by campaignPete R-CT
Kim Pettengill, GOP state committeewoman from Kennebec County, said she didn't know about two of them coming until she got calls Friday evening from the campaigns of former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, of Pennsylvania, saying they would send representatives to Saturday's caucus.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's son Tagg Romney already had been expected to attend. More than 300 Republicans from across Kennebec County attended the caucus. GOP activists were asked to hold local caucuses between Feb. 4 and 11, and more than 30 of them were being held Saturday statewide.
Republicans from all the county's municipalities except Hallowell, Monmouth, Pittston, Rome and Waterville were at the caucus at Farrington.
The GOP plans to announce the winners Saturday. The Maine Democratic Party will hold all municipal caucuses on Sunday, Feb. 26.
"Gingrich and Santorum (campaigns) reached out to us yesterday, and we heard from Senator (Olympia) Snowe and Tagg Romney, Mitt Romney's son. SNIP
State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin represented Mitt Romney, Pat Eisenhart represented U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, Rick Tyler represented Gingrich, and Jeff Cucci represented Santorum. .... SNIP ... Pettengill said many Ron Paul supporters were at the caucus, prompted by the campaign's outreach efforts and Paul's recent visit to central Maine.
Michael Hein, an attendee from Augusta and a former Republican legislative candidate, said he stood out in front of the school, talking to people for an hour and a half before the start of the caucus.
"It was stunning, the amount of people who said, 'The only reason I'm here is to support Ron Paul,'" Hein said. "These are new people in the community. These weren't longtime Republicans. They're our neighbors and friends. I believe two-thirds of this caucus supports Ron Paul, just from talking to the people coming in."
(Excerpt) Read more at kjonline.com ...
Maine = NE Liberal = Romney = Paul = irrelevant.
throwback = ignorant of the Pine Tree State?
Maine elected a terrific conservative governor in 2010 - we could only wish to elect someone similar as President.
The Maine GOP is a mixed bag but they've gotten their act together in recent years to the extent that it's not all McKernan/Snowe all the time.
I attended a Maine caucus. It is a toss up between Paul and Romney. Gingrich and Santorum had few supporters
I’m glad I’m ignorant in that case. I stand corrected.
i was at South Paris, Augusta, West Bath, Damariscotta, and Dover-Fox. I real hoot of an event.
Can I ask which one you were at?
i hope you are participating in volunteering at the KS caucuses if you are close to the border.
In 2008 I went to the Washington Co caucus and the state convention as my town chair and town rep of ONE. I got only one of our some 50 registered R’s to respond to me. The caucus and the convention were a waste of my time and old bones. Cal Thomas and Mitt spoke live. This year I will not go but I’ve received 3 robo calls from Romney. AND two calls for Paul from very polite young men. I hope the Paul folks tear up the convention and make Snowe cringe.
I’d rather read about it here on FR or asmainegoes.com. I wonder what Gov Paul LePage will do.
west bath
i was the dark-haired tall newt guy wandering the hallway with the newt sign. I thought our supporter with the NRA cap gave a pretty good 3-minute speech.
Was there any competition for delegates in your town ... or were there vacancies still available?
I left early to get to Damariscotta, which had a very lively tea party crowd.
well, old bones keep a lot of from doing things.
If you’re close to East Machias, this Saturday’s event is the Gettysburg of the New England campaign. ROMNEY looks like he is going down to defeat. The 2008 convention was silly because the race was over. Not so sure this year, if it is a hot race in May, you may wish you could go.
Get elected delegate and decide later whether to go?
I’ll be in Sanford campaigning against MITT. I think if nobody caucuses for your town, you can do the caucus yourself right IN YOUR TOWN ... to save the drive to East M.
you could do it every year as a 15-minute project by holding it in your own town instead of East M.
Any talk in WA CNTY about the controversy ... the postponed caucus and attempt at this SAT?
Maybe there will be 200 angry people showing up in addition to the 150 normal crowd. But maybe not.
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