Mitt Romney Did Not Win Maine Caucus

Yesterday, Brevard Times mistakenly reported that Mitt Romney barely won the Maine Caucus by 194 votes.  That article was based on results provided by Charlie Webster, a Maine Republican headquarters spokesman, even though there were more caucuses in Maine to be held this week.  Many other news organizations also mistakenly reported that Mitt Romney had won the Maine Caucus.

According to the spokesman, the Republican Maine Caucus results were as follows: Mitt Romney garnered 39% of the vote, while Ron Paul came in second with 35%.  Rick Santorum was a distant third at 18% and Newt Gingrich finished fourth with 6%.

However, the entire caucus did not vote yesterday because bad weather postponed the caucus in Washington County, which lies in Eastern Maine.  That caucus was moved to this coming Saturday. Because the entire caucus has not voted yet, it is premature to report a winner in such a close race.  

The Ron Paul 2012 campaign is maintaining on its website that Washington County is a stronghold for Paul. 

The Maine Caucus is an unofficial, non-binding poll. Maine's delegates will be awarded later, and the straw poll may not have an impact on the delegates actually awarded in May.  It is essentially a 'beauty contest'.  Twenty-one delegates are awarded from Maine.

The total voters in Maine were less than 6,000, of which 2,190 voted for Romney while 1,996 voted for Paul.

After the results were announced, Paul said, "It's almost like we can call it a tie.. I bet that we will control the Maine Caucus when we go to Tampa."