E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
A race for the GOP presidential nomination that had seemed headed toward a quick conclusion just a week ago now seems more headed toward a protracted and expensive competition, thanks to Newt Gingrich's victory in Saturday's South Carolina primary.
Republicans in the Palmetto State dispatched the possibility of any tidy resolution to the primary campaign by handlng the former House speaker a 12-point victory over Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who had hoped to wrap up the nomination.
The candidates are now focused on Florida, which hosts a primary closed to Republican voters only on Jan. 31; the winner is awarded all of the Sunshine State’s delegates, but will also assume a degree of momentum from winning such a large contest in an important swing state.
"That’s the case you have to make in this contest – that you’re strong enough to compete in all of the states," said Kevin Madden, an adviser to the Romney campaign.
The contest in Florida is already shaping up to be an especially pointed one between Romney and Gingrich, the two of whom are already taking shots at each other at campaign events. They’ll confront each other directly at Monday evening’s NBC News/National Journal debate.
“What we know is that 75 percent of the party has consistently not wanted Mitt Romney,” said Rick Tyler, a former spokesman for Gingrich who now helps run a super PAC aiding the former speaker. “Here in Florida, because Rick Santorum has essentially collapsed and Ron Paul is not competing, it's essentially a two-way contest. All I need to do is align Newt Gingrich with that 75 percent and Mitt Romney with Charlie Crist.”
The Romney campaign had treated Florida as a firewall even before losing the South Carolina primary. Almost 200,000 early and absentee ballots, which are expected to favor Romney, have been cast. And the state favors organization and money, the latter of which the Romney campaign has, as evidenced by a $2.3 million broadcast buy made this week.
The dynamics of the Florida campaign could allow Gingrich, though, to rally dissatisfied conservatives behind his candidacy and ride momentum from South Carolina – where his candidacy was resurrected for the second time this cycle – to compete and even win in Florida.
Tyler said that he expects Gingrich to win Florida, but asserted victory there wasn’t critical to the ex-speaker’s hopes of winning the nomination.
That’s because of the way this year’s primary calendar is set up.
Beyond Florida, the campaign also enters relatively dormant phase with several smaller caucuses and primaries through early March, mostly in states advantageous to Romney.
Nevada, a state where Romney has previously campaigned and which has a sizable Mormon population, hosts its caucus on Feb. 4, and Colorado and Minnesota host subsequent caucuses on Feb. 7.
Those are the only contests until the end of the month, when Arizona and Michigan host primaries on Feb. 28. Romney has an advantage in Michigan, where he was raised and where his father served as governor. Washington state also hosts a March 3 caucus.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul is also concentrating his efforts on winning some of these caucuses, where his enthusiastic supporters typically play an outsized role in similar contests.
That means Gingrich’s next big opportunity could come on March 6, this year’s “Super Tuesday,” when 10 states hold their contests – putting a number of delegates in play. It’s the results from those contests which could provide the best glimpse of how long the primary campaign will last, and whether Romney or Gingrich can finally score a decisive knockout blow.
“I think it's very important,” Tyler said of March 6. “But I think if Newt performs well in Florida, he'll do very well on Super Tuesday.”
The 10 contests on that day could favor Gingrich, since a number of them are in southern or more conservative states whose voters might be more inclined to support him. Gingrich won't be on the ballot in one of the states, Virginia, where he failed to qualify.
For its part, the Romney campaign has always stressed the primacy of winning delegates, and has prepared for the possibility of a drawn-out primary against a conservative challenger.
“The campaign was built for a very competitive primary contest,” Madden said. “I think we’re prepared to go all the way.”
Leave a Comment:
re. attacking welfare: A whole lot of what is said really does sound like "tongue in check" racism but there is a complete other side to this government giving issue that is conveniently and probably purposely ignored - the "more" mentality, the insatiable "more" appetite, always wanting "more" and rationalizing that it is somehow deserved, is the real culprit. Much of what the "Tea Party" emotionally screams can be placed in this category and a whole lot of what Republicans promise their supporters to pacify them also clearly fits here. Everyone really wants "more", without exception, with welfare recipients constantly faulted for that, yet the wealthiest in society are likely the most guilty of demanding the most from government and the politicians wanting their support, really just give in to them - as Bush-Cheney, Boehner, McConnell, Cantor,,, have clearly demonstrated.
Bush-Cheney totally followed a private agenda that completely favored the very wealthy while neglecting responsibilities to the majority; Boehner, McConnell, Cantor and others stubbornly and arrogantly neglect their responsibilities, putting their political ambitions above all else and just work to serve “the few”, including belligerently protecting the substantial tax cuts for the wealthy; and the SuperPacs, Norquist, Cheney, Rove and others collect and use huge sums of money from the very wealthy to con the people and manipulate public opinion ... all of it being aimed just to gain support for “more of the same”, while rationalizing it is good for the economy, even after Bush-Cheney proved beyond any doubt that the “trickle down” theory is a total fraud only making the wealthy wealthier and simply soliciting political support.
The costs are really very apparent to anyone putting aside the rationalized propaganda: excessive deregulation, little oversight and lax enforcement encouraging run-away greed, gross dishonesty and self-indulgence, have resulted in repeated crises in savings and loans, banks, dot.coms, the financial, investment and mortgage industries and in corporate corruption (like Enron); American jobs and taxes being exported; government social programs cut; excessive tax cuts for the wealthy; on and on always benefiting “the few”, even allowing aggressive exploitation by those with advantage and always costing the majority while just being excused with deceptive rhetoric. There is no easy answer but it sure isn’t, as the Republican / Tea Party have advocated, to totally concentrate on the interests of “the few” (1%) and rationalize neglecting the majority (99%).
Good Job RGiles! A thoughtful, truthful, and well informed write up! Like a good steak! Rare! Very Rare!
Newt Gingrch won South Carolina. As the GOP circus moves to the state of Florida, see my thoughts on how Newt Gingrich actually won South Carolina.
After three primaries we now know that Newt is still morally and ethically corrupt, that Mitt has a whole lot of money but can't afford a new pair of jeans, that Paul would rather be in the 19th Century, and that Santorum is still wondering if he should have joined the priesthood.
Maybe they could start telling everyone exactly what Obama has done incorrectly and what they would have done differently. Maybe they could even have a debate on public policy as a novel change from what they have been doing so far.
Cash for Clunkers! LOL
It's kind of nice watching the pole cats tear each other up. So this is what a bottom of the barrel pole cat fight looks like.
For independents, its the devil you know (obama) vs the devil you know and revile (newt). Newt winning is grand news for Team Obama
let the
Let the politicians spend more of our money on their pursuit of office. Where do you think all their money comes from. Ask the occupiers. Big corporations and their executives fund the people they feel can do the most for them to continue lining their pockets. Limits should be set on these Mega-Pac contributions. The money could be much better spent on building our economy .
Here's an idea for campaign reform: Require, by law, that all mass media must donate equal time to all the candidates. That would stop the need for jillions of dollars from who knows who to buy air time. Hey all of you sanctimonious hypocritical "christians"----your boy Santorum did not correct the dull-normal woman who piped up with "Obama is an avowed muslim"--he said it "wasn't his place". If you're running for prez or any other political office it most certainly is your "place" to correct a lie. You "christians" will always "forgive" your fellow ignoramous's for cheating on their wives (funny tho--you'll forgive a man but stone a woman). Forgiveness for your kind of people---but hang a liberal from the yardarms for the same thing. Each and every organized religion that is now or ever has been---is an evil construct. A "religion" is the most efficient way to sew intolerence, racism, hatred of women, homophobia, ignorance, cruelty, and warmongering. Our founding fathers were athiests---they knew how dangerous "religion" was---that's why they made sure (so far) that our country could not be ruled by somebodys corrupt "church". You and your "churches" disgust me. I'm old now but I never bought into religion even when I was a child.
More Obama bashing while you fail to look at your own candidates. If the conservative base had actually paid attention to their nominees you wouldn't be left with utter garbage.
I think that the rule is is that good people that aren't Christians never lie. But Christians that chronically lie think that by going to church on Sunday forgives their sins and makes them good people. It does not.
The problem is in the conservative base, for months I have seen them obsessively find fault with every move Obama makes. They turn every discussion on their primaries into a Obama bash fest. What they have completely failed to do is really look at their own candidates? They are not discussing their policy and how it will fix our economy, how it will get jobs because the candidates are not offering that.
I am sorry your not going to get the middle to accept any amoral jackass you put out there tea party. They will vote for Obama again and the polls continuously reflect that. I would like to hear even one person from the conservative base that has something to say other than hatred for Obama.
We had a Republican President for 8 yrs...I'll stick with Obama
All that money spent for a dinosaur and a dodo! All that money, that's what the GOP are, all that money..........nothing to show for it. God Bless Their Patriotic LOL American Flag. LOL
I say we need to get rid of them all and get Jon Kyle!
I'm waitin' for these neo-nut turds to up the amps/voltage on their racist code words and cultural phrases! I love seeing the "soul" of the republiturds to come out, whether it's thru religious hypocracy, infidelity explanations, name-callin', political BS, or just plain devil-may-care stupidity.
These "republiturd/'baggernut Debate Comedy Shows" have been comically... priceless! Their silly audiences, too.
BTW: Obama/Biden win in 2012! No doubt!!
My neighbors are palnning a party for Obama's "State of the Union" We have a drinking game .... every time Barry makes a promise he can't keep or tells a lie, we all drink a shot of tequila!!! We'll be toasted within the 1st fifteen minutes!!! Horseface just can't help himself. He's a chronic liar.
ZMAN: Really??? By that standard, you would have died from alcohol poisoning listening to Dubya's very first State of the Union.
"We'll be greeted as liberators"
"The war will only cost 50 Billion"
"The Iraqi oil production will pay for the war"
"You're either with us or with the terrorists"
And my personal all time fav "Mission Accomplished"
I hope you have a drinking game for the Republican debates too. You could get quite drunk if you take a drink every time hypocrisy spouts for Newt's lips. Or every time Mitt makes an elitist comment.
Wouldn't vote for this bunch of wealthy idiots if my life depended on it as well as the current President. All this money wasted on nothing. They will say what they think you want to hear. Try to pick the one that you believe the most, but will do exactly as he pleases.
"Wasn't to long ago that many FR libs were lamenting on romney having clear sailing to the republican nomination. now they are showing their confusion...."
Karl Rove is crying in his red kool aid today. The GOP establishment's hand picked "electable" candidate is losing primary after primary to wing-nuts with no hope of beating Obama. To make it even better, the more the "conservative" candidates attack Romney, the less "electable" the most "electable" candidate becomes.
This is awesome. My first choice for the GOP candidate would be Sarah Palin, followed by Cain, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Santorum, Bachmann, (did I forget any of the fringe candidates?). But if I can't have one of those as Obama's opponent, Newtie with his morals and ethics problems will do nicely.
John McCain should be the president today, but he had to go "wingnut" to get the GOP nomination in 2008. He had to flip flop (just like Romney) on every position he ever took (see:immigration reform) and choose a dingbat for his vice president. Good moves to court the teabirthers, but he lost the country. I'm a moderate democrat, but I would have considered McCain or Colin Powell in 2000. By 2008, I didn't even recognize McCain anymore. Now he's a moderate again. The GOP is schizo.
Nobody can get the GOP nomination without the teabirther vote. Nobody who gets the teabirther vote can win the election.
Zman-1070873
My neighbors are palnning a party for Obama's "State of the Union" We have a drinking game .... every time Barry makes a promise he can't keep or tells a lie, we all drink a shot of tequila!!! We'll be toasted within the 1st fifteen minutes!!! Horseface just can't help himself. He's a chronic liar.
_________________
Gonna need a lot of booze for that party. LOL
I can't play. I'm still drunk from Bush's last state of the union. I had to take a shot every time Bush said, "nukular".
You will need an entire liquor store if you drank a shot for every lie that comes out of any of the republican Candidate's mouths. Actually, you could take out stock in Jack Daniels.
Why not have a drinking game around every time Newt spouts some hypocrisy? Or how about every time Mitt looks like an elitist 1%er?
Good post. Let's see if he insults the Supreme Court justices again. This guy is the pits. One and done!
Yep ..... we are still toasted from the 500 campaign promises that Barry made in 2008 .... since he only kept about 150 of them. That's 350 shots just on his campaign promises. Think about all the shots for his 20 lies per week that he tells!! Doesn't Obama look like JJ from "Good Times" .... same IQ, too and both from Chicago??? Might have to check that out and see if he's the same guy?
PROCRUST: Yea and wasn't Obama way off base critizing the "Citizens United" case??? I mean, it's not like hundreds of billions are pouring into our political system, poisoning the whole process.
Got n ews for you, even many of your buddies in the GOP are starting to whine about it.
Perry, Bachmann, Cain, Santorum. LOL.
You really want to talk about IQs?
Where would Mitt Romney be without a rich daddy? The same place George W. Bush would have been.....selling insurance.
Well I guess I owe myself a Keg from Bush's Dream Presidency. Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq.. Lies, lies, lies.....
Where's Barnun and Bailey when we need them?
I imagine that Newt's views on open marriages might appeal to the Mormons that want a return to polygamy.
Love Ron Paul.
All we need to fix the economy is a big pile of shiny rocks. If we have a big pile of shiny rocks, like we had in the 1920s, everything will be great.
It is sad that voters are not seeing the big picture! Sure, lots of votes went to Gingrich because they like what he represents to the Republican party, because they see him as the true conservative with the big ideas who will successfuly debate Obama but what they are not seeing is true electability. It is not enough to satisfy what the Republican party wants in a candidate, if Republicans want to oust Barack Obama they need to determine how the candidate will fare in the general election. There is no way a good number of independents will vote for Gingrich and this group is needed to beat Obama. He might lose a lot more votes once all his dirty baggage comes out and there is so much dirt on this guy, heads will spin. Why do you think Democrats are quiet on the attacks against Newt and going full force on Romney. Romney is the person they fear in 2012! Why take the risk and go with Gingrich?
Of course we want Mittens to win the Republican nomination. We know that Obama will beat him in the general election. If Ging"RICH" wins, then Obama beats him in a landslide. If Santorum wins, Obama wins in the biggest presidential election in US history.
ssshhhh...
The GOP according to GORP
Romney and The Grand Old "Rockefeller" Party?
Gingrich represents The Grand Old "Reagan" Party
Wow. I didn't realize that Reagan was THAT sleazy.
cool, let em' wipe the floors with each other. Obama can finish off the survivor. It's like watching Spartacus, except these dudes are boring
Hey job1. You have to be living on a different planet than earth. Obama was elected on the vote of the independents and what I define as the ignorant. So many voted for the Bozo, my 18 year old daughter included because he was pretty. They had no education at all on government and cannot answer simple questions as what party Obama represented, who his running mate was, how many branches of government there are and it goes on and on. Obama lied so much and it has come back to haunt him. I know of at least fifty people who voted for Obama, some ignorant, some just in the dark who now say they have no intention of voting for him once again. He has lost the young. They now know he is no more than just a typical mendacious politician who did absolutely nothing he promised them. I will even tell you that I attend many acoustic music festivals in the mid-west where several thousand people are in attendance. These are a majority of middle to low middle class individuals who were the ones who voted for Obama. Without exception when ever a musician mentions Obamas name there is a chorus of boos. Things are going to have to change drastically before Bozo has a chance of being re-elected
Do mean the ignorant who voted Bush II to a second term? No, they usually lean Republican't.
and you think somehow that ANY of those people are going to vote for newton or mitt?
really you do?
yeah, the tea party just LOVES a guy who blew their taxpayer dollars prosecuting a democrats bj WHILE he was cheating on his wife at the same time! and they just LOVE 1 percent of 1 percenter romney.. i mean, what a PERFECT time for a billionaires billionaire to run, in the middle of the OWS movement..
after all.. its gonna be a good year..
I know people who used to be Republican, including active military, who listened to Sarah Palin, and voted for Obama. I also know several who vote for Bush, ONCE.
The teabirthers with their lies about socialism and birth certificates and "he's a Muslim" have turned off thinking people. You've got a moron who wants to outlaw birth control. Seriously?
I hope that Newt won't chase the ladies around the white house, with cigars, like Billy did.
whats the diference? you actually think there is a moral difference between the two of them? that newt is somehow any better? all he did was blow millions of your precious taxpayer dollars prosecuting "wily" while doing the EXACT SAME THING AT THE EXACT SAME TIME!!
the fact that the tea party would embrace someone who SO CLEARLY wasted taxpayer dollars shows exactly how retarded they can be.
Whatever. The difference is that Billy is ancient history, but Newt is our burden to deal with.
Would it be too much to ask that you do your cheating when you're off the clock?
funny too how they're gonna bring up clinton non stop now when they just spent three years frothing at the mouth that BUSH ISNT IN OFFICE ANYMORE!!! while we DAILY live out the result of the bush years...
But if he did, it's ok because he's not a democrat.
ahhh yay! let them eat each other and spend ALL of romneys money so he can see life as a 99 percenter!
what a joke... somebody should like, repeat saul alinskys name a million times like it has meaning or value..
and somebody will...
please GOP, blow ALL your money and hurl insult after lasting insult.. we will be sure and laugh... then vote for obama like we were going to anyhow. no, he's not the best, but he's so far superior to YOUR brand, its not even funny.