Mitt Romney Goes Two for Two With Maine Win
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the non-binding Maine presidential caucuses today, capping off a day on which he also won the Conservative Political Action Conference straw poll.
Romney took 39 percent of the vote in Maine, where fewer than 5,600 votes were cast, followed by Rep. Ron Paul (texas), who got 36 percent of the vote. Former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) and former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) did not compete in the Pine Tree State but got 18 percent and 6 percent, respectively.
“The voters of Maine have sent a clear message that it is past time to send an outsider to the White House, a conservative with a lifetime of experience in the private sector, who can uproot Washington’s culture of taxing and spending and borrowing and endless bureaucracy,” Romney said in a statement.
The Maine victory combined with the CPAC straw poll delivered a morale boost more than anything else for Romney, who did not pick up any actual delegates today. Maine’s delegates to the Republican National Convention will be awarded at a state convention in May.
Romney, who remains the frontrunner in the race for the GOP nomination, lost three presidential primaries Tuesday in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado. Romney also won Maine’s caucus in 2008.
The Maine caucuses were the last contests before the Arizona and Michigan primaries on Feb. 28. One week later is Super Tuesday, when 10 states will hold caucuses and primaries.