Maine results thread.

[Joe Republic]

It is significant because Paul was expected to win.

No, it was hoped that Paul would win.  There hadn't been a poll in Maine since October, so nobody expected anything.

Romney not merely has a good showing but wins

... with 12% less than before.  Which continues a theme, of course.

Nobody had a good showing in Maine.  Turnout was pathetic.

[Joe Republic]

The results have been stuck at 84% reporting due to the remaining caucuses that haven't yet taken place.  What changes are we likely to expect, if any?

[Joe Republic]

I think that this election cycle will spell the end of the caucus as a method of choosing delegates (especially in the GOP).

Agreed.

Why? The fiasco in Maine is due not to the caucus system, but, rather, the moral failings of the people administering the caucus. A moral administrator of a caucus would have strove to maintain an accurate count, corrected any reported errors promptly and without reservation, and, would have stated that the Washington county results would be included because the caucus there was delayed due to no fault of the Republican voters there.

Blaming "the system" and talking about changing "the system" distracts what really needs to be done: the rank-and-file Republicans of Maine need to fire their state chairman before it dawns on him to resign in disgrace.

You forgot about the disastrous Iowa and Nevada caucuses.  Seriously, we've had five caucus states thus far, and three of them have been fiascos.

An incompetent organization is only one aspect of the problem; caucuses are generally undemocratic messes.

[Joe Republic]

Amazing how long this thread has lasted.

And people said that my state's GOP were incompetent and inefficient!

[Joe Republic]

So is there any last-chance hope for Paul?

No, even after Washington County results, which Paul won, Romney still holds a 156 vote lead statewide overall.

And what a massive victory it is:  The total number of votes for Romney in the entire state of Maine is equivalent to nearly 3% of the number of votes he lost South Carolina by.