Romney takes Maine by 117 votes

Republican voters caucus in Machias, Washington County, Maine

Ron Paul took a 2-1 lead in the four late-caucusing Maine counties but still fell short of carrying the state by 117 votes.  The nod went to Mitt Romney - sometimes of Massachusetts which spun off Maine in 1820.  Transatlantic landings at Eastport, Washington County  - the easternmost in the U.S. - rivalled New York and exceeded Baltimore in the 1820's.  Today we marvel that there are still states like Iowa and Maine where people show up in person to declare their preference for a candidate at a gathering of town citizens.  Of course the result is often piling up votes for wild card candidates like Ron Paul who makes sense at the rate of a single-bullet Russian Roulette player with a six-shooter.