Are the Maine GOP caucus results in doubt?
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/02/ron-paul-maine-caucuses-washington-county-romney-/1#.Tzxa6dTARQe By Catalina Camia, USA TODAY
What is it with GOP presidential caucuses and the counting of those results?
The Bangor Daily News in Maine reports "pressure is on" the state Republican Party to "reconsider its weekend declaration that Mitt Romney won" the Maine caucuses. Romney edged out Ron Paul by 194 votes.
Several Maine towns were not included in the vote totals released Saturday, Feb. 11, because they did not hold their caucuses by that date. The newspaper's town-by-town review found that some communities voting before Feb. 11 -- such as Waterville and those in Waldo County -- weren't included in vote totals.
There were issues with the vote count in Iowa and Nevada, which each held caucuses instead of primaries.
Washington County, the easternmost county in the United States, is going to hold caucuses this Saturday, Feb. 18. The GOP chairman there says he's going to petition the state Republican Party to include those votes, and he's expecting a big turnout.
"We're going to release the numbers to the media, the campaigns and the party," Chris Gardner, the Washington County (Maine) GOP chairman told USA TODAY. "The media and the campaigns don't need the state party to do the math."
Paul's campaign has been saying since Saturday that the Texas congressman could end up winning more delegates than Romney when all is said and done. The caucuses were only the first step in the process, and convention delegates weren't awarded last weekend when the straw poll results were announced.
The Paul campaign issued a statement expressing the "outrage" about the vote delay in Washington County, which was caused by a snowstorm.
Gardner said in our interview that he had no indication from the state Republican Party that Washington County wouldn't be part of the official vote if towns decided to hold off on caucuses because of the weather. And for the record, he is a Mitt Romney supporter.
"The state party was well-intentioned with what they were trying to do," Gardner told USA TODAY. "They're a little caught up in the pomp and circumstance and need to pay attention to ... an inclusive process."
Gardner says including all Maine communities -- regardless of when caucus votes were held or will be held -- in the final GOP presidential tally is only the right thing to do.
"Other people are trying to make this about the candidates," he said. "Here in Washington County, it's about the process."