Maine Caucus News

My parents braved the weather today and caucused in Scarborough (I voted absentee, along with a record 4000 others). Scarborough is a Republican-leaning suburb of Portland, which had a record turnout and went to Obama 401 to 283 (31 state delegates to 22). Demographically, it's the sort of town that Obama would need to prevail today--he carried the town over the opposition of state senator Peggy Pendleton, who, along with most of the state's party leadership, endorsed Clinton.

Turnout around the state appears to be very heavy: in Cape Elizabeth (next door to Scarborough, and one of the wealthiest cities in the state), the caucus had to be moved because of the high turnout. (Obama carried the city, 72 to 28 percent.) The Press Herald also reports very heavy turnout in Portland, which should be more good news for Obama. And the Illinois senator carried Yarmouth b a three-to-one margin.

Around the state, results have been trickling in on the Turn Maine Blue and Politicker sites.

No reports yet from what should be Clinton strongholds like Lewiston/Auburn or Saco/Biddeford. There also are no reports yet from Augusta. Clinton did score a somewhat surprising win in the southern Maine town of Wells, and narrowly carried interior towns like Rumford and Mexico. But Obama has, according to Turn Maine Blue, carried one precinct in Bangor (Gov. Baldacci's hometown); and he had strong wins in such rural locations as Fryeburg, Wilton, and Houlton. Obama even narrowly captured far-north Presque Isle. [Update, 4.50]: Obama has now carried Old Town, Hope, and Camden--areas in which he would not have been favored to win.