Divisions among Maine Republicans deepened Wednesday over Romney backers\u2019 attempt to purge Ron Paul supporters \u2014 who the Romney camp fears could wreak havoc at the Republican National Convention \u2014 from the state\u2019s delegation.<\/p>\n
Peter Cianchette, a Bush donor and ambassador, and Maine Republican National Committeewoman Janet Martens Staples Saturday filed a challenge to 14 pro-Paul delegates and alternates, as the Boston Globe reported. Both were listed as Romney endorsers in a campaign press release in February.<\/p>\n
Today, 23 members of the state Republican committee signed on to a letter to party chairman Charlie Webster denouncing the move, and demanding Staples\u2019 own resignation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe recent actions taken by National Committeewoman Jan Staples against the Maine Delegation are destructive to party unity, blur our focus on maintaining Republican majorities in the Maine House and Senate and provide fodder for opponents in the Democrat Party to attack our candidates in upcoming races,\u201d they write in the letter, provided to BuzzFeed by a Maine Republican.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is with great sadness and humility that I am calling a special meeting of our body. I thought that we had finally began healing after the convention. I thought we were ready to move on, work out our differences and strengthen our party in the House and Senate,\u201d Jonathan Pfaff a Cumberland committeeman and Paul supporter wrote in an email circulating the letter. \u201cUnfortunately, our National Committeewoman, Jan Staples, has other priorities. She has decided to put her own personal agenda ahead of Maine Republicans. Some have argued she\u2019s done this out of spite for her unsuccessful bid to be re-elected. Some have argued that she\u2019s being offered a deal by Mitt Romney\u2019s campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n
Full article: http:\/\/www.buzzfeed. \u2026 p-civil-war-in-maine<\/a><\/p>\n —<\/p>\n