AUGUSTA (AP) – With his young son in tow, Tagg Romney campaigned in a barber shop down the street from the State House on Friday as Maine’s weekend Republican caucuses got under way, urging a tiny band of party members to support his dad.

“Thanks for letting us invade here,” the son of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said during his swing into Duke’s Barber Shop, which is known as much for its informal pre-election polls as it is for shaves and shampoos.

Romney’s visit marked the windup to a quiet campaign in Maine leading to three days of Republican voting. Ron Paul visited the state Monday, but neither Michael Huckabee nor John McCain has shown up.

State GOP Chairman Mark Ellis said Friday he expects wide participation in caucuses that are being held in 410 Maine towns, but added, “Weather is going to be a factor.”

In northern Maine’s Aroostook County, where about 20 caucuses were scheduled for Friday night, sleet and as much as a half foot of snow were expected to accumulate before the storm ends, the National Weather Service said.

Freezing rain, sleet and smaller accumulations of snow were expected in other areas, but the weather is expected to be clear by Saturday when the bulk of the caucuses are held in Grange and town halls, schools, churches and fire stations all over the state.

Some of Maine’s tiniest outposts had completed their caucuses well ahead of Friday’s starting date.

Dennistown near the western Maine border with Canada held a three-person caucus on Tuesday, and neighboring Moose River’s was even smaller – one person, said Marc Pembroke, who also organized Friday’s caucus in Jackman, which drew two people.

Pembroke declined to release vote counts, but said he is supporting McCain. The Arizona senator gained momentum in Maine following his win earlier this week in Florida and the endorsement that came from Rudy Giuliani after he dropped out of the race.

Paul is said to have an organization in Maine that could give the Texas congressman his first victory. And Huckabee could benefit from caucus votes by GOP conservatives who are capable of flexing political muscle.

In Duke’s, Tagg Romney reinforced his father’s claim that the GOP race is down to two – Romney and McCain. He also said that the race won’t be over on Super Tuesday, when more than 20 states hold their presidential preference contests.

“It’s not going to be over on Tuesday. It’s going to be a long fight,” Romney promised. He touted his father’s record in business and government and stressed his father’s wins in three states. Romney finished second in neighboring New Hampshire to McCain.

Two of Romney’s three victories have been in caucuses in which he drew little or no competition. But if early caucus voting in Maine is any indication, Romney’s chances may be good.

In Freeport, Romney took 12 of the 18 votes cast, with 4 going to Paul and 2 to McCain, said Mark Bastey, the Freeport GOP town chairman. Bastey said the turnout was good, roughly double what he’s seen in previous caucuses.

A few towns hold their gatherings a week or more after the Feb. 1-3 dates billed by the party. One holds its caucuses Feb. 10, the same day as the Maine Democrats, and two others will be the following weekend.

The GOP caucuses are essentially a nonbinding preference poll and the first stage in a longer process in which delegate support is allocated. Delegates to the state convention are elected at the caucuses. The state convention in turn elects delegates to the national convention.

This year’s caucuses will include a first in Maine: 17-year-olds will get a chance to take part in the presidential selection process.

Provided they turn 18 before the Nov. 4 general election, anyone born on or before Nov. 4, 1990, can take part in this weekend’s balloting.

House Speaker Glenn Cummings, D-Portland, sponsored the bill allowing 17-year-olds to vote, which he says makes Maine one of few states that have done so. The others include Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio and Virginia.

Cummings says Maine’s law is intended to encourage long-term voter participation and give a voice to young voters.

AP-ES-02-01-08 1800EST

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