Romney and Paul go head-to-head in Maine

Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine

Mitt Romney and Ron Paul rarely acknowledge each other in the Republican presidential race, focusing their attention and attacks on rivals Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum instead. That curious d tente is being tested in Maine’s caucuses this week, where Romney’s reputation as a political shape shifter is going head-to-head with Paul’s consistent libertarian views.

The caucuses began Feb. 4 and will continue through today, when the state party will announce the results of the nonbinding presidential straw poll. Paul has campaigned hard in the state, and Romney has taken steps to shore up his position there to offset a potentially embarrassing loss after defeats in Missouri, Colorado and Minnesota.

Romney unexpectedly added two caucus appearances to his schedule this morning, an indication that the campaign is concerned about the potential of another defeat in the low-turnout affair. And the significance also is great for Paul, who has staked his candidacy on winning at least a handful of smaller caucus states.

Santorum, who won the three contests earlier in the week, has not competed actively in Maine, nor has Gingrich. That leaves an unusually direct contest between Romney and Paul, pitting the former Massachusetts governor’s establishment support and geographic advantages against the Texas congressman’s relatively small but passionate band of activists.

The Maine face-off is renewing attention to the persistent deep divisions in the GOP — the more moderate, business-oriented wing represented by Romney and the restless tea-party voters who’ve been receptive to much of Paul’s platform.