Maine State convention

The lights are on and almost everyone has left. The convention is over.

It’s been a busy – but productive -- two days for the Republican Party.

In these two days, Republicans from across the state elected delegates to the state convention, elected state committee members, debated their platform and heard from all the major candidates. They also heard from Mitt Romney and Cal Thomas.

The alternate delegates to the Republican National Convention also match the slate of “Republican Unity Candidates” endorsed by John McCain’s campaign.

They are: Burnell Bailey, Dale Crafts, Eileen Fales, Vance Wheelock, William Gardiner, Richard Kendall, Mary Kendall, Robert MacBride, Margaret Matthews, Loretta Mikols, Eric Lusk and James Fossel.

Laurie Dobson, an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate, was removed from the Maine GOP Convention by the Augusta Police Department earlier today.

Julie O’Brien, executive director of the party, said Dobson came into the convention to protest the war during Sen. Susan Collins’ speech. She wanted onto the floor – where non-delegates are not allowed to be.

After causing more commotion, sources said, she was asked to leave. When she wouldn’t leave, she was escorted out by police.

Dobson was at the convention last night drumming up support from the Ron Paul supporters, and spoke to Collins at a reception after.

The 12 at-large delegates elected to the Republican National Convention match those on the list of “Republican Unity Candidates” recommended by the John McCain campaign.

The convention is now voting on alternates. 

They are:

The current representative for House District 51 sees some mild inconveniences approaching as he runs for reelection this year.

He’s adopted the campaign slogan “Vote for McKane, any way you spell it.”

It makes sense, as state Rep. Jon McKane, R-Newcastle, supports U.S. Sen. John McCain, the presidential candidate. Still, McKane said, he’ll try to go by “Jonathan” a bit more this election cycle.

“People get confused,” McKane said. “They say, ‘I can’t vote for John McCain, he’s not in my district.”

He laughed. “It’s going to be a real pain in the butt,” McKane said.

The Maine Republican Party National Committeeman and Committeewoman results are official. Former Senate President Richard Bennett and former committeewoman Jan Staples are the new RNC members.

Cal Thomas spoke earlier. Currently ballots are being tallied for the national delegate slots. State delegates got to pick 12 of about 30 nominees.

Of those, 13 support Ron Paul, according to a list that was handed out. The John McCain campaign handed out a list of 12 “Republican Unity candidates”.

Delegates are working through lunch to discuss the party platform. Next they will elect national delegates and hear from Fox News contributor Cal Thomas.

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe spoke – wasn’t much we haven’t heard before but it got the crowd excited. Snowe spoke of her support for Collins’ reelection, and her plans to help Republicans across the state get elected.

The senators both urged party unity as the Democrats continue to fight over their pick for a presidential nominee.

Collins brought up a comment PolitickerME’s own Wally Edge made on a recent post. “Commentator Wally Edge said he expected this convention to be contentious,” Collins said. “Has he seen what’s going on with the Democrats?”

Both senators urged support for John McCain. Collins drew contrasts between herself and likely opponent Tom Allen on a number of issues.

Check back later for video on all speeches.

The convention has just reconvened after the two districts split up to elect delegates.

After opening proceedings U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe will speak soon, and then the delegates will elect the at-large national delegates. At lunchtime they will take up the platform – there are about 25 amendments to take up.

A Ron Paul video will also be shown.

Fox News contributor Cal Thomas will be speaking later.

PolitickerME.com is a bit behind with video from yesterday, but hopes to have footage of all the speeches up by the end of the day.

Check back later for more information, photos and video of the Romney visit

Ken Lindell, coordinator of the Maine Ron Paul campaign, said the two men removed from the Maine Republican Convention earlier did not represent the campaign, although both said earlier that they were Paul supporters.