Former presidential candidate Ben Carson will be the keynote speaker at the Maine Republican Party state convention this month.
“Maine Republicans have a lot to be excited about, from a slew of great candidates to record participation in the state convention,” party Chairman Rick Bennett wrote in an email to supporters Wednesday. “Dr. Carson will be a great addition to our record year.”
Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, was part of a crowded field of Republicans seeking the nomination for president before he ended his campaign in early March after disappointing finishes in Iowa, New Hampshire and several other states on Super Tuesday.
Carson left the race before Maine’s Republican caucus March 5. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, one of three Republicans left in the race, won Maine with 46 percent support, followed by New York businessman Donald Trump and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
After withdrawing from the race, Carson endorsed Trump and has become a surrogate for the front-runner.
Carson, a soft-spoken social conservative who appealed to evangelical voters, will speak after the Maine Republican Party’s presidential dinner on April 22. Tickets for the dinner are $60 and can be purchased through the Maine Republican Party website.
Howie Carr, a Boston-based conservative talk radio host, will broadcast his show live from the convention from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday. Maine Gov. Paul LePage has appeared regularly on Carr’s show.
Maine Republican Party officials said this week that there has been high interest among people wanting to be a delegate to the national Republican Party convention in Cleveland in July. Nearly 200 people have applied to be one of 20 delegates representing Maine.
The party will hold its convention April 22-23 at the Cross Insurance Convention Center in Bangor. It will feature a number of social events and appearances by high-profile elected officials, including LePage, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, followed by the adoption of a party platform and the selection of delegates.
The last Maine Republican Party convention held in an election year was in 2012, when Ron Paul supporters successfully took over the proceedings and threw the event into chaos.
The Maine Democratic Party will hold its state convention May 6-7 at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. The party has not yet publicly announced any major speakers.
Eric Russell can be contacted at 791-6344 or at:
Twitter: PPHEricRussell
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