Posted on 02/17/2012 2:42:47 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Last Saturday, the Maine Republican Party declared Mitt Romney the winner of the Maine caucuses. The non-binding caucuses were a low turnout affair, but Romney's victory over Ron Paul - who he beat by less than 200 votes - was a chance for Romney to reclaim some momentum in the wake of Rick Santorum's three-state sweep four days earlier.
Now, however, it looks like Romney could ultimately be stripped of that victory. If that happens, it will be the second time this cycle Romney has been stripped of a caucus victory. The first came in Iowa, where Santorum was declared the winner following a (flawed) recount.
The Maine GOP allowed communities to schedule their caucuses between Feb. 4 and Feb. 11 if they wanted them to be counted in the final tally. Some areas elected to schedule their caucuses outside that window, and the Maine GOP said those caucuses would not count. Fair enough. But according to the Bangor Daily News, some caucuses that took place within the designated window were also not counted.
In addition, one important caucus - in Washington County - was rescheduled from last Saturday, when it would have been within the window, to this Saturday due to the threat of bad weather. Paul's campaign questioned the decision to move the caucus, suggesting political interference; in a statement stating the weather report did not predict a serious storm, it said "the votes of Washington County would have been enough to put us over the top. This is an outrage."
Paul actually didn't do well in Washington County in the 2008 cycle, but his campaign saw it as a stronghold this time around. And Paul supporters have been pushing backers of the Texas lawmaker to show up in droves this Saturday for the rescheduled caucuses....
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
As the delegate votes continue to be split (why National Review and American Spectator are yelling at Newt to "Get out!") this many well go on long after Super Tuesday (March 6) with over a 3rd of the delegates still sitting on the table -- with Texas and California notable for their number. Maybe this year, more voters will have a chance to be heard.
The buzz is, if you want to block Romney's take of delegates in VA (where only Romney and Paul are on the ballot) vote for Paul.
Funny how Romney “wins” early but a full tally shows he loses.
Robamney 2012-election fraud is not just for Democrats!
Or, don’t vote. Could you live with yourself if your vote caused Paul to win the nomination? Surely he would lose a general election. If he won, by some twist of fate, would you want Paul at the helm of this nation?
As for me, my answer would be no.
No kidding. I have the impression the GOP would like to bump a Texas GOP Primary (155 delegates) right off the schedule (bury it until Mitt gets his 1144 in the bank).
Paul can not win the nomination.
Based on various news sources....I’d say this was probably the most bogus primary run by either party in the last twenty years. Ron Paul easily won. As for the guys at the top of the state’s party mechanism? I’d fire them and not allow them to participate in any national convention episode.
“In VA....vote for Paul”
I don`t like Professor Nutcase and had previously said he`d never get my vote... now this debacle here in VA. I likely will cast a vote for him just to help deny Romney the delegates.
Paul isn`t going to win the nomination. There`s no threat of that.
Cuz like wet wood, Mitt ain't catching.
With delegates being awarded proportionally “We the People” can deny the Establisment their selection.
If our Congresscritters see “We the People” has taken control of the Party, it could diminish leadership’s grip over how they vote, and again “We the People” will be represented in D.C.
Then we start replacing those who refuse to shrink government and return power to the states.
VA isn’t going to reconsider. This has gone through the courts and they have said the suit brought was too late. Period.
Virginia voters have been ‘disenfranchised’...
After the “frozen-out candidates” (led by Rick Perry) took it to court and even appealed the decision, you think there is a chance that the VA GOP is going to reverse itself before Super Tuesday - March 6?
On what grounds?
I don’t see that happening.
Indeed they have.
What's that about, the recount was flawed?
I don’t see it happening either—unless the VA GOP has a sudden attack of decency by then—or an awareness at what despised pariahs they will become if Mitt Romney happens to win because of their wretched RINO establishment treachery.
Hmmmmm. I think the writer is conflating thoughts.
The Maine GOP allowed communities to schedule their caucuses between Feb. 4 and Feb. 11 if they wanted them to be counted in the final tally. Some areas elected to schedule their caucuses outside that window, and the Maine GOP said those caucuses would not count. Fair enough. But according to the Bangor Daily News, some caucuses that took place within the designated window were also not counted.Counting like Democrats, I guess this explains Olympia Snowe.
I don't like Paul, but I hate Mitt! I am still a Newt person! Perry was my first choice and Newt was my 2nd. But after Perry dropped out, I looked at the person who like ( Sarah) would shake up DC and that person is Newt! As long as he is in, I am with Newt!
I honestly like Santorum as a person, but he is a weak candidate. He could do well was VP and learn from his Master...Newt.. But putting Rick on the top of ticket right now is a disaster! Not like Mitt, but dang, Rick can't beat Obama! He doesn't have a platform other than social issues.. This election is not about social issues, it is about money! OUR MONEY! Mitt wants to take it, and Rick has no clue how to keep it.
Plus we have conflicts over the world.. Newt Teaches/taught this stuff to our military!!! I am very saddened that we might get obama again!!!
Rick is not ready, and Mitt is a liberal! I had rather fight the fight with Newt than automatically lose with liberal Mitt or too green, no personality Rick!
Just my two cents!
Obviously that includes cheating for their chosen one, Romney. The Florida Primary was moved up for Mitt. If the situation had been the other way around with Mitt losing to Newt, the Florida GOP would have demanded that the delegates be apportioned. That situation plus Virginia, Iowa and Maine make things look very bad for the GOP-e and Mitt Romney.
I'm sure Obama's people will make it clear that the Republicans and Romney in particular had to stack the deck in order to win. They'll say he can't even get his own party to vote for him without cheating. Why should anyone else vote for him? You better believe the dems will challenge the outcome of any close state they lose. The GOP-e picked a very bad time to decide to copy cat the dems.
However, this is now likely to be the **SECOND** time that a Mitt Romney win got overturned. Once can be understood as a fluke but it's harder to dismiss something as a fluke that happens twice. Voters who aren't paying attention to details will see that Romney first won, then lost, and it happened twice benefiting two different candidates, so they'll be wondering what's wrong with Romney.
In the long run, Maine going into the “anybody but Romney” column is probably a good thing, especially since even Ron Paul knows there is no way he can win the Republican nomination.
Of course I heard it. What I did not hear until now was any suggestion that the RECOUNT was flawed, as in:
Santorum was declared the winner following a (flawed) recount.
I suspect it doesn’t really matter; Paul will give his delegates to Romney at the convention.
One begins to wonder outloud if old GOP establishment types don't want the public to have its voice - As in a McCain-like repeat
How in HECK did McCain ever get on the GOP ballot in the first place.
Heck is okay to use as a word. It is the place where people go that don't believe in Gosh.
Your comment is ridiculous.
The irritating part is even if Paul wins, Romney still received the more important momentum.
Cheaters never win...unless they are Democrats.
“The State Parties can do whatever the heck they want with THEIR primaries—Florida was a good example.”
No, not all of them. Several states’ primaries, including 155 delegate Texas, are under the direct control of the Federal Governemnt.
Some others' "two cents":
Rick Perry withdrew and endorsed Newt Gingrich and is raising money for him.
Herman Cain withdrew and in time endorsed Newt Gingrich and is campaigning with him.
Michele Bachmann withdrew and has withheld her endorsement (the Party has her reelection fate in their hands) but she wasn’t so reticent at a 2008 Minnesota townhall.
[3:00] Michele Bachmann profusely praising Newt in this 2008 townhall introduction …”This is real! We love you here. We love you!”
That would work against everything he believes and shoot Rand in both feet.
Now, the perfect strategy, outstanding implementation and excellent follow through isn't working. Now how is that friggin' possible?, asks Romney. Here he is, doing everything right and he's losing. How can that be?
Romney missed the big picture. Most Republican voters see the nation at risk. We need urgent and large moves to save the country. Romney thinks we are in normal times. The voters he's appealing to don't think we're in normal times.
I have 2 main problems with Romney. One, the only cause Romney has worked for has been Romney. Romney's running for President for Romney, not for the country.
Two, and related, where was Romney? Where was he when Palin was being slimed in 2008? Where was Romney in fighting Porkulus? Where was Romney in defending the Tea Party from being slimed? He's asking us for our votes. Where was he, when we needed support? Where was Romney in fighting ObamaCare?
I'm here in Michigan and I'm voting Santorum. I may have a tiny part in putting a stake through the heart of the Romney campaign.
Romney doesn't like me, thought he didn't need me and he'll get nothing from me.
;)
1)The Party found their perfect vessel (I love me and will do and say anything to win) and 2) the Party believes conservatives can be manipulated, over come and then urged to vote for the nominee or get 4 more years of Obama.
And, Santorum is Mitt’s “my little pony” Rick is just not ready for primetime! We need a leader not a panderer!
Romney was fueling the slime machine, and his Gay Brigades were at the controls, when Palin was being slimed in 2008, and on through the past three years.
Of course, Romney smiled for the cameras, and pretended all nice, but he and his hacks have been tearing at Palin since August 29, 2008.
Romney and his sycophants are responsible for Obama's election, and for that there is no forgiving or forgetting.
Right. There he sat at the bottom of the pile in Iowa (despite, perhaps because of) shaking every Iowan’s hand and bending their ear. He rose because of circumstances that were not controlled by him. The only reason he profited was because he was the only one left to pick. Some “choice” to throw up against the Obama-Axelrod Machine.
We need a fighter and Santorum is not a fighter. Mitt is not a fighter.. WE ar fighting for our country right now and the only one with passion and solutions is Newt and it is sad that the people on Fr want to diminish all that newt accomplished and can't see the forest for the trees here...
All I have heard from Santorum is his social views, well, all well and good, but there will be no social issues, if we don't fix the economy and DC...
The only one with a plan is NEWT!!!
Don't give me platitudes give me solutions!
It disgusts me now, listening to Mitt and Rick, take Newt's ideas and solutions, and act as if they thought of them.. Give me a break! They are pandering!!! They know Newt has the ideas, so they are stealing them from him...
I hope and pray, somewhere, he gets the mojo, because the other 2 will kill us!
Our govt has LONG SINCE ceased to be REPRESENTATIVE.
I’d do the same. What a great slap to romney, I wish I lived there to be part of it.
The recount was also flawed due to not all caucus precincts being included in the final tally. Official result forms could not be accounted for in a couple of cases, therefore those precincts’ votes were not counted.
What hasn’t been reported nationally, is that these missing forms were from the same county in Iowa that messed up in 2008. I have read from a caucus participant that the messed-up 2008 results took a precinct win from Alan Keyes.
“If he won, by some twist of fate, would you want Paul at the helm of this nation?”
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If the only other choice is Obama yes, I would want Paul or even Moe Sprinkle the wino, clutching a bottle of MD 20-20 or whatever Moe prefers.
“Based on various news sources....I’d say this was probably the most bogus primary run by either party in the last twenty years.”
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Not quite. Take a gander at what the GOP pulled on Super Tuesday ‘08 in WV.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08037/855056-176.stm
Ron Paul is a million times better than ghettobama or Myth.
The WV GOP has decided that the blatant disenfranchisement of its rank and file that occurred in ‘08 was bad optics and has decided to go back to its normally ineffectually late statewide primary in May.
That was quite an interesting story you linked to in Post #45.
This time ‘round, it looks like no decisions have been made beyond a date. Does the WV GOP think (hope) it will be wrapped up by then?
Well, I gotta admit, the resultant radioactive wastelands would be a huge improvement over the filthy RAT infested cities that currently occupy that very same real estate.
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