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Sounds like it's a good idea to arrive early Saturday morning to the Republican Convention, just in case there's a battle over who will serve as convention chairman.

As my colleague Steve Mistler noted yesterday, GOP Chairman Charlie Webster is asking delegates to arrive at 8:15 a.m. because he's heard rumblings that the Ron Paul campaign plans to "take over" the convention. A few days ago, a State House Republican also advised me not to miss the procedural stuff at the beginning, including the selection of a convention chairman and adoption of party rules.

Other things I'll be watching:

*Adoption of the platform. Two years ago, I was up in the crows nest barely paying attention to the platform discussion when I began to realize something was different. The Tea Party successfully put a new platform in place, catching many of the mainline Republicans completely off guard.

*Speeches by the four Congressional candidates. While I've heard Senate President Kevin Raye and Senate Majority Leader Jon Courtney speak many times, I've not seen (or heard) Patrick Calder from Portland or Blaine Richardson of Belfast.

*Gov. LePage's speech on Sunday. The governor pretty much always makes news, especially if he wanders from his prepared speech.

*Sen. Snowe's speech, which will immediately follow the governor's address. Will she blast both parties for their conduct in Washington? Or will she take a softer tone?

*The six Senate candidates. Who gets the most applause? Who comes out swinging? Who packs the stage with supporters? Have many delegates already made up their minds?

It'll be a busy weekend. Check back frequently for updates from me and Steve.

About the Author

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Open Season targets all of Maine's political wildlife, from Portland city government to the donkeys, elephants and independents stalking the Statehouse and U.S. Capitol.

John Richardson joined the Press Herald in 1990 after working as a reporter in New Jersey. He has covered a variety of beats, including marine issues, the environment and health care. He is now covering politics and focusing on Maine's U.S. Senate race.
John can be reached at 791-6324 or jrichardson@pressherald.com
On Twitter: @jrichmaine

Colin Woodard has covered politics and elections for more than two decades, from Bosnia and Bucharest to Washington, D.C., Augusta, and Portland City Hall. He has written for a wide range of national and international publications and is the author of four books, including "American Nations," a history of North America's regional cultures. He joined the Portland Press Herald at the end of April and covers political finance and lobbying, among other things.
Colin can be reached at 791-6317 or cwoodard@pressherald.com

Susan Cover has covered Maine politics for 10 years and worked in Kansas, Ohio and Rhode Island as a reporter. This year, she is focusing on covering the same-sex marriage debate for MaineToday Media.
Susan can be reached at 621-5643 or scover@mainetoday.com

Michael Shepherd joined MaineToday Media in May 2012 after graduating from the University of Maine in Orono, where he edited The Maine Campus, the student newspaper there. Until November he'll be writing the Truth Test, a recurring feature analyzing political statements and advertising.
Michael can be reached at 621-5632 or mshepherd@mainetoday.com

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