Gingrich Threatens GOP's Chance to Nab Independents

WSJ ^ | Dec 19, 2011 | BY GERALD F. SEIB

[Jim Robinson]

Why, you may ask, is the meteoric rise of Newt Gingrich giving so many in the Republican establishment a bit of holiday-season indigestion?

Look no further than party leaders' worries about the shaky Gingrich relationship with a category of Americans who may matter more than any other in the 2012 election: independent voters.

[RC one]

What independents in non-swing states want is irrelevant.

[skinkinthegrass]

endorsements ....another winner, they're all just jealous.

[Salvation]

Newt has changed dramatically. Here are some FR links about his conversion.

Gingrich Threatens GOP's Chance to Nab Independents

The Evangelical Case for Newt Gingrich
Gingrich Represents New Political Era for Catholics
Gingrich Represents New Political Era for Catholics [ecumenical}
Newt Gingrich on Catholicism and JPII
Why Newt Gingrich Converted to Catholicism
Exclusive: Newt Gingrich Opens Up on Catholic Conversion and Embracing 'Overt Christianity'
Newt Gingrich on his conversion to Catholicism
Gingrich Keeps Quiet on Catholic Conversion (received into Church over the past weekend)
Exclusive: Newt Gingrich conversion details; plans release of JP2 documentary
Gingrich to Become Catholic During Easter Season
The Newt Evangelization: Gingrich to become Catholic

[onyx]

I concur. A lot of those backstabbers are very worried about President Newt Gingrich. Too bad for those little people. They need to grow up and stop being self-serving or get the he// out of politics, while the rest of us try to save our Republic.

GO GINGRICH!

He has to be our next Commander-in-Chief!

[Sudetenland]

Jim, (as you know) these clowns live in abject fear of repeating the 1964 Goldwater defeat.

It clouds their minds, it occupies their daily thoughts, it's an obsession which first arose in 1976 with the first Reagan run for the Presidency and has continued even in the face of all evidence to the contrary.

These people, the "brain-trust" of the Republican establishment have gotten it wrong for 7 of the last 9 elections (I am giving a pass to the 88-92 elections, because most of us went down the GHW Bush rabbit hole).

Everytime we have followed their recommendation as to who should be the candidate, we have lost . . . and yet they are in such denial that they still believe their own mythology.

Reagan proved it beyond any doubt, given a true leader who can espouse genuine conservative principle clearly and unapologetically, those "independents" those "20%ers" will flock to him.

Go Newt!!!

[lakewood conservative]

Again I’m new so therefore my opinion means little here, but i feel that there will be many like me- trust me i am as conservative as they come- who can’t openly support Gingrich and to suggest there won’t be some of the base that will avoid him is to be disingenuous. Also as a long time watcher of the electorate I am worried about the women vote for Newt. If the guy wins the primaries of course I’ll vote for him, but it will be with a bad smell all the way to the booth.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Independents are PRAGMATIC...and Newt fills that bill..He has proven he can work and get things done...THAT will appeal to Independents. Also, that Newt is ready to “change” the economy for the better..that is what the Independents want and someone that can bring back America’s Exceptionalism with a strong defense..that is also pragmatic.

[familyop]

Gringrich will get the conservative independents, and there are many more of us than liberal/left politicos want to admit.

[o2bfree]

The “republicans” you mention were liberals weren’t they? Let’s look at this objectively. After they got rid of Newt they could spend whatever they wanted. In fact those very republicans you mentioned added $3 Trillion to the debt after Gingrich left the speakership.

So tell me again why we want to placate the big spending DC A-holes?

[familyop]

Gingrich will get the conservative independents, and there are many more of us than liberal/left politicos want to admit.

[Flycatcher]

You seem very “concerned”...

[HiTech RedNeck]

Mitt does not come across to be as stupid as Obama. Politically unpopular yes, stupid no. That alone would probably garner him a comfortable win (and a heap of discarded bloody nose-clamps next to the voting booths), if the tea party doesn’t upchuck on Mitt the way they didn’t on McCain. And that’s the trouble with a Mitt candidacy. The tea party is getting ready to upchuck like that. Our own JR is Exhibit A.

[ez]

Romney threatens GOP’s chance to nab conservatives.

Thank you.

[magooey]

Squishy RINO was tried in 2008. It didn't work, and a lot of people are still suffering from indigestion.

[rbmillerjr]

The Independents left Obama over a year ago.

This is a comical attempt to keep the GOP E in power.

The E despises Gingrich, Palin, Cain...more than Obama.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Who would have thunk that John McCain would have said “there is nothing to fear from an Obama presidency”? Oh? Nothing but a Carter malaise on steroids, that is.

[skinkinthegrass]

Carefully there... :-D

[muddler]

Sure, what the hell, let newt desyroy the TEA party.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Sorry Troll, Newt IS the TEA Party. He is and had the original idea, way back in 1974. He got it all started. And I have his record before me to prove it.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

OOps, misprint, I mean 1994!