LePage Jokes about ‘Hard to Understand’ Immigrants; Ted Cruz Gets Maine Delegates at State GOP Convention

Maine Republicans have elected a slate of delegates to the national convention that's heavy on supporters of Ted Cruz. 

All 14 at-large delegates elected at the convention held at Cross Insurance Center on Saturday support the Texas senator. That means at least 19 of 23 delegates are Cruz supporters.

The results of Maine's presidential caucuses are binding with 12 delegates for Cruz, nine for New York businessman Donald Trump and two for Ohio Gov. John Kasich, but delegates are bound only for the first vote. Those delegates can switch to support another candidate in subsequent votes.

There was tension surrounding the election amid concerns about a contested national convention in Cleveland. Maine Gov. Paul LePage accused the Cruz campaign of trying to suppress supporters of other candidates. In a statement, he said the Cruz campaign was run by "greedy hooligans."

Maine's Republican governor also said it's hard to understand workers "from Bulgaria" and workers from India are "the worst ones."

Gov. Paul LePage said Saturday that foreign workers are being used in restaurants after he criticized a referendum proposal to raise Maine's minimum wage to $12. He says he's disappointed his alternative proposal to hike the wage to $10 didn't get traction.

He described Indians as "lovely people but you've got to have an interpreter."

LePage is known for making controversial remarks. In this case, he was chuckling as he spoke at the state party convention. He joked that his wife is going to get a job as a waitress for supplemental income.

He also had a crude remark about President Barack Obama, saying Obama stands for "one big-ass mistake, America."

The following individuals have been chosen as Delegates to represent the Maine Republican Party at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland:

Eric Brakey, Auburn
Dale Crafts, Lisbon Falls
Joel Stetkis, Canaan
MaryAnne Kinney, Knox
Jennifer Newendyke, Litchfield
Laura Parker, Sidney
Keith Hilton, South Gardiner
Donna Hopkins, Belmont
Isaiah Lary, Wales
Joshua Spooner, Topsham
Margery Ripley, South Paris
Thomas Caffyn, Canaan
Angela Conley, South Berwick
Howard Quynn, Kingfield
Gov. Paul LePage, Augusta
Eric Lusk, Harpswell
Joshua Dunlap, Scarborough
Stacey Guerin, Glenburn
Garrett Mason, Lisbon Falls
Earl Bierman, Sorrento

The Associated Press contributed to this report.