Newt Gingrich scheduled to make Fayetteville visit next week

Fayetteville Oberver ^ | Wed Apr 18, 2012 | Paul Woolverton

[SoConPubbie]

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is scheduled to visit Fayetteville next week, according to local party leaders.

Gingrich is to appear April 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the ballroom of the AIT building downtown to meet people and make a speech. The event is free and open to the public, said Mikele Haywood, the Cumberland County Republican Party's events campaign chairwoman.

Although front-runner Mitt Romney appears to have an insurmountable lead to win the Republican nomination, Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul have remained in the race. Gingrich, a former U.S. House speaker, has made several visits to North Carolina in recent weeks.

County party Chairman William Gillis said people from here reached out to Gingrich's representatives during one of those visits to ask if he would come to Fayetteville.

It's important for a candidate to visit the Fayetteville-Fort Bragg area, Gillis said.

"With foreign policy being a big part of being a presidential candidate, I don't think there's a much better place in the state - or country, for that matter - to have that opportunity to interact with soldiers, the home of the 82nd (Airborne Division) and special operations," he said. "Those guys are on the front lines."

Gingrich's scheduled visit is on the same day as the kickoff of the annual Dogwood Festival, one of the region's biggest draws to downtown. It's not clear whether the two events could create logistical problems with parking, festival vendors setting up their booths and security.

The Associated Press reported Romney visited Raleigh and Charlotte Wednesday for fundraisers and to make a campaign speech critical of President Obama.

North Carolina is expected to be a battleground between Obama and the Republican nominee.

[SoConPubbie]

"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton
"We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan
"A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792

[reasonisfaith]

I can’t help thinking about Romney’s delegate count, and how it doesn’t really make him look as inevitable as people say.

[Diogenesis]

[onyx]

Come ON, North Carolina for NEWT!

[GenXteacher]

May 8, voting for Gingrich, and against gay marriage- striking a blow against Communism (Obama) and socialism (Romney)!

[maranatha]

It’s been Newt all the way for me, 2 votes here in NC.

[trappedincanuckistan]

What are his prospects onyx?

[Coldwater Creek]

Maybe Newt and Bobby Patrino can get together and compare notes (mistresses).

[mtrott]

How does that comment advance the conservative cause?