A win in Maine caucuses could help right the Romney ship, while a loss would be another sign that Republican voters have reservations about his conservative bona fides.
Romney made his first 2012 visit to Maine on Friday, staging a packed town-hall meeting in Portland. "I know what it will take to make America the best place in the world for job creation," Romney said.
Maine's population ranks 41st among the 50 U.S. states, but the contest is key for Romney after he lost to former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado this week. Maine has not voted Republican in a presidential election since 1988.
Portland, the state's largest city, is only two hours from Boston and within Republican ranks is regarded as natural territory for Romney, who easily won the primary in neighboring New Hampshire a month ago.
But north and away from the coast, Maine's vast, sparsely populated wilderness areas are seen as Paul strongholds - areas where many residents have a frontier spirit and are wary of excessive government involvement in their lives. Paul held several well-attended events in Maine in late January. A rally in Freeport on a frigid day attracted an estimated 1,000 Paul loyalists and curious shoppers at the outdoors clothing and supplies store L.L. Bean - no small feat in a state where total votes cast in the 2008 Republican caucuses was 5,491.
Sources:
Reuters
Reuters
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