It's not clear whether Romney supporters are making this ad buy because they think some of the state's electoral votes are legitimately up for grabs, or because it's fun to mess with President Obama's confidence. Either way, gutsy call:
Restore Our Future, the Super PAC supporting Mitt Romney, has reserved television airtime in Maine beginning later this week, according to a Republican source tracking media buys.The group plans to air $300,000 worth of ads in the Bangor, Presque Isle and Portland-Auburn markets, the latter of which also covers parts of New Hampshire, from Oct. 25 through Oct. 29.
The move suggests Romney allies see Maine's 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses the state's northern reaches, as fertile ground for the Republican.
Unlike other states, Maine allocates its electoral votes by congressional district. With Obama leading in statewide polls by double-digits, it could be possible for Romney to pull out a single electoral vote on election day, which, in such a close contest, could make a significant difference:
Surveying the map of contested swing states, one scenario jumps out: If Obama loses Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Colorado and Iowa, but holds Wisconsin, Virginia, New Hampshire and Nevada, he still picks up the 270 electoral votes needed to win.But a victory for Romney in Maine's 2nd District would push that total back down to 269 votes and force a tie in the Electoral College.
