Posted on 02/03/2012 4:22:13 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Newt Gingrich's presidential ambitions could hinge on the outcome of Tuesday's Minnesota caucuses, along with Colorado's caucus on the same day, says a story in the Huffington Post.
Gingrich was leading in recent polls in Minnesota, but he's the only one of the four remaining Republican contenders not to visit the state in the week before the caucuses.
The story says Mitt Romney is expected to fare quite well in upcoming contests in Nevada, Michigan and Arizona:
But Colorado and especially Minnesota, both non-binding contests to be held on February 7, are different kettles of fish. And they are likely to be much fairer tests of Romney's ability to build on his current momentum. These are states that Romney won handily over McCain by positioning himself as the conservative "insurgent" seeking to challenge the "hand-picked moderate" chosen by the GOP "establishment." Now the roles are somewhat reversed: Romney, with McCain's support, is playing McCain's former role, and Gingrich is playing Romney's. But can he benefit the same way Romney did? That's the big question.
Gingrich's Minnesota advantage:
But there's reason to believe that the former House speaker retains some distinct advantages in states like Minnesota. One is that an estimated 52% or more of GOP voters in Minnesota describe themselves as "faith-based," a group that Gingrich carried by a huge double-digit margin in South Carolina, and one of the few he still carried in Florida — if only by single digits. But in Florida, evangelicals constituted less than a third of the GOP electorate; that means any Gingrich advantage with religious-minded voters is likely to be magnified in Minnesota.
The story takes a shot at former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who's become a big Romney booster after dropping his own bid:
As a surrogate, Pawlenty hasn't actually helped Romney much, and in Minnesota, he may well end up inadvertently helping Gingrich, by highlighting just how far Romney has strayed from GOP orthodoxy.
And Congresswoman Michele Bachmann takes a hit:
The same is likely to be the case for another Minnesotan: three-term congresswoman Michele Bachmann. She touted herself as the leading Christian conservative in the race, prior to dropping out last December, after her dismal showing in Iowa. Since then, she hasn't shown much inclination to endorse Gingrich or anyone else, and despite rumors that she may be making overtures to the Romney camp, it's unclear whether her endorsement one way or another would carry much weight.
So a Gingrich win here could be part of a big surge:
Gingrich victories in Minnesota and Colorado next Monday would quickly neutralize Romney's expected victory this Saturday in Nevada, embarrassing Romney and restoring a sense of parity in the race. And if Gingrich can also pull off a victory in Arizona, on McCain's home turf, it would be a viewed as a major upset.
Romney got Minnesota in 2008
Sorry. I’ll be at my caucus, but I ain’t voting for Newt. Then again, I’m not voting for Mittens either.
LBJ won there in 1964. So what? If conservatives, Reagan Democrats, working people, small business owners & tea partiers of all stripes get behind one candidaate, he will win!
Semi-free country.
Please people from my former state —REDEEM yourselves from the Al Franken, Keith Elison fiasco you embarrassed me with and vote for Michele Bachmann and Newt Gingrich...pleeeeease!!!!
Well he won’t get it again, if I have any say about it. I will do my part on Tuesday! :^)
Gingrich was leading in recent polls in Minnesota, but he’s the only one of the four remaining Republican contenders not to visit the state in the week before the caucuses.
Why has he not visited this state yet. Just like every other state, he waits until the previous state is over and then starts working. He only began his campaign in Nevada on Sunday. No wonder he is having issues. He is so unorganized.
Go Newt!!!
Newts my candidate ... the problem he faces is the Florida negative TV ad blitz by the Mormon Arrchbishop ... 65 to 1 ratio ... like Rush said NOBODY can survive that kind of basically propaganda assualt ... fortunately Willard keeps stepping on fingers with his incredibly stupid comments ...
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