Could Maine’s 2nd Congressional District decide the presidential race?

Supporters of Republican Mitt Romney are beginning to think so. 

Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting Romney, emailed supporters Monday to say that Maine’s 2nd Congressional District is a priority target for television ads. The reason is because Maine is one of just two states that allows a presidential candidate to pick-up an electoral vote even if he/she loses the state.

President Obama is firmly ahead in Maine’s 1st Congressional District, but recent polls show that Romney is within striking distance in Maine’s more conservative 2nd District. And, with national pundits beginning to consider the prospect of a tie in the national electoral college, even one electoral vote could make a difference on Election Day. 

Romney surrogates in Maine said Monday that they were unaware of any imminent ad buy. The email from Restore Our Future suggested that ads would run in Maine only if the PAC had enough money to do so (The PAC has taken in over $111 million and spent nearly $95 million, according to its Federal Election Commission filings).

Crossroads GPS, the organization head by Republican operative Karl Rove, has already been running anti-Obama ads in the 2nd District.  

As D.C. bureau chief Kevin Miller noted Monday, national analysts have already plotted scenarios in which Maine could be factor in the presidential race. 

 

 

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