( dpa )- Maine is getting a chance to pick its favoured Republican candidate for US president over a three-day voting period beginning Friday.
The small north-eastern US state holds its process just before Tuesday's huge vote in more than 20 states, where both Democrats and Republicans will have an opportunity to decidedly swing the nomination in favour of one of the candidates.
Maine was holding a series of caucuses over three days, where residents will debate and pick their preferred Republican nominee in public forums such as homes or churches.
Polls have suggested Congressman Ron Paul could be dealt his first - and probably only - victory in the nominating process. Paul has lagged far behind frontrunner John McCain, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee nationally and in most states.