Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

National political conventions are all about the visuals, from the entirely pre-scripted proceedings on the convention floor to the outfits and outlandish hats that delegates wear. Here are a few photos taken over the past few days by Kevin Miller, Washington bureau chief for the Portland Press Herald/MaineToday Media, who has been in Tampa covering Maine’s delegation to the Republican National Convention.

Bryan Daugherty, a Maine delegate from Bangor and a Ron Paul supporter, is interviewed by CNN's Dana Bash on the floor of the Republican National Convention on Tuesday.

The view from Maine’s section of the floor at the Republican National Convention during the opening prayer prior to one evening’s activities.

The Romney-Ryan store at the Tampa Bay Times Forum is constantly packed with convention-goers, who can pick up everything from t-shirts and mugs to beach towels and “Mitt” earrings.

Members of Texas’ delegation to the convention who support Ron Paul made these t-shirts displaying the states – including Maine – where there was some dispute about how many delegates to seat for Paul versus the eventual presidential nominee, Mitt Romney. The shirts were instantly popular with Maine’s Paul supporters in Tampa.

Ron Paul, the libertarian Texas congressman who ran for president, greets several supporters within Maine’s delegation (in white hats) during a visit to the convention floor on Tuesday.

The sign on the convention floor marking Maine’s section. Although not exactly close to the podium, there weren’t many bad seats on the floor.

Members of Texas’ delegation are never tough to spot around the convention hall, between their white cowboy hats and uniform shirts (on this day, a Lone Star State flag shirt). They also tended to act in unison, like during this performance by one of the many bands that played during the evening floor sessions.

Pete “The Carpenter” Harring, a displaced Maine delegate who supports Ron Paul, shows off his tailor-made clothespin intended to his displeasure with the Republican National Committee’s handling of Maine’s Paul delegates. The clothespins were supplied by delegate and Paul supporter Linda Bean, the heiress of L. L. Bean and owner of a growing lobster processing and lobster-themed restaurant chain.

Maine delegate and Ron Paul supporter Bryan Daugherty of Bangor shows off his “Maine 2012” Paul hat, autographed by the Texas congressman and unsuccessful presidential candidate.

Convention attendees walk through a long, tented and (thankfully) air-conditioned tunnel that connects the Tampa Bay Times Forum and the nearby convention hall. Access to the forum was extremely restricted, requiring the thousands of attendees to pass through a few security checkpoint.

Members of Texas’ delegation sympathetic to Maine’s Ron Paul supporters made these stickers, as seen here on a Texan’s cowboy hat.

CNN had it’s own restaurant for staff and visitors where anchors and commentators talked live while others eat and drank in the background.

The view of the convention floor from the Portland Press Herald's assigned seat within the Tampa Bay Times Forum. An estimated 15,000 journalists and media support crews are in Tampa this week to cover the convention.

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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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