Politics | Mitt Romney 2012 Romney Edges Ron Paul in Maine Caucus Ron Paul takes a close second, Santorum third By Neal Colgrass Posted Feb 11, 2012 6:08 PM CST Copied Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney greets supporters at a caucus, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, in Portland, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Mitt's having the quite the day: After winning the CPAC straw poll, Romney won Maine's so-called "lazy caucus" today with 39% of the vote, NBC Politics reports. His 2,190 total votes gave him a narrow victory over Ron Paul, who took second with 1,996 votes and 36%. Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich pulled up the rear with 18% and 6% of caucus voters, respectively. A couple of caveats: Santorum didn't campaign in Maine, and the state's 24 delegates are free to vote for any candidate at the GOP convention. Paul's second-place showing stands out, because the Texas libertarian had a shot to win in this quirky "purple" state that boasts a mix of Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill and voter registration rules that allow independent voters to take part. Maine's caucus is "lazy" because municipalities were permitted to host caucus events anytime over the past week. Read These Next New York Times ranks the best movies of the 21st century. Actor Sam Rockwell gets residuals from movie he wasn't in. A man has been deported for kicking an airport customs beagle. White House rolls with Trump's 'daddy' nickname. Report an error