Maine's GOP Challenges Ron Paul Supporters

Romney supporters allege 20 of 24 delegates were improperly elected.

The delegates elected to represent Maine Republicans at next month's convention in Tampa, Fla., are fighting back against a challenge filed with the national party over the weekend. The challenge alleges 20 of Maine's 24 delegates, as well as 20 alternate delegates, were improperly elected to their positions at the state party's chaotic convention in May.

Over the weekend, delegates launched an online petition to collect signatures of support, and some said Monday that Maine Republicans Peter Cianchette and Jan Martens Staples filed their challenge on shaky grounds in an effort to deny Republicans a choice between Ron Paul and Mitt Romney at the party convention.

Meanwhile, Staples said that her interest in contesting Maine's GOP convention delegation is in seeing that the party's rules and parliamentary procedures are followed, not in suppressing support for Paul.