
Will Maine give Republican Paul his first win?
• www.reuters.com(Reuters) - He is the only one of the four contenders for the Republican presidential nomination not to have won a state primary or caucus.
But on Saturday, Ron Paul could get his best shot at a victory in Maine, the cold, far northeastern state that has given a warm reception to his libertarian views.
Local caucusing has been under way in Maine since January 29, and will continue in a few towns until March. Even so, the state Republican Party will announce the winner of its presidential straw poll on Saturday, and the Texas congressman's strong on-the-ground organization could have a big impact.
Paul typically has been viewed as the Republican contender least likely to win the nomination, but he has a loyal following and this week was running second to Romney in a nationwide Reuters/Ipsos poll of Republican voters.
Paul has yet to translate that appeal into a victory in the state-by-state race for the nomination. His best results have been second-place finishes in Minnesota and New Hampshire, in both instances far behind the winner.
Speaking to supporters on Tuesday after his runner-up finish in Minnesota, Paul said he expected to do well in Maine.