Newt Gingrich is hiring two lobbyists to work for his campaign in the state of Iowa. In other news, the Iowan House Majority Leader, Linda Upmeyer, has offered to work for him.
It is beginning to look like Newt may really be serious this time about running.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Gingrich would be the Dem’s best shot at their re-election.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
In other words, Gingrich would be a dream come true for Team Obama, perhaps salvaging their chances for re-election.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
This blind item may put a stop to his ideas:
There is a Republican out there who is in the top 3 or 4 potential candidates for President. He wants to desperately run, but is trying to come up with a payoff for his mistress. Cheating is not unusual for him considering he even married a mistress in the past.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
“It is beginning to look like Newt may really be serious this time about running.”
Unfortunately, his poll numbers are slipping into nothingness. He’s making Palin look like a rising star.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
“He’s making Palin look like a rising star.”
We shall see. I still really doubt Palin will run. Gingrich has more delegates right now, and I’m still waiting to see any sizeable area where Palin could lay her base.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
This points out the corruption in the political process. Two lobbyists. I’m sure they are not the only ones that have been hired. There is room for someone to come in as a reformer and smoke out the corruption.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:37 pm
“This points out the corruption in the political process. Two lobbyists. I’m sure they are not the only ones that have been hired. There is room for someone to come in as a reformer and smoke out the corruption.”
…and lobbying is inherently corrupt? I don’t think so.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
Bob.4:“Unfortunately, his poll numbers are slipping into nothingness. He’s making Palin look like a rising star.”
True, true, but that has little to do with whether or not he is running. You do not hire staff in Iowa if you are not seriously considering a run. Up to now, I would have argued that his actions pointed to him continuing his fan-dance forever. However, this news makes the odds of him actually running better than 50-50 in my opinion.
He has a great deal going against him. He has sunk in the polls. His personal baggage exceeds all other possible candidates except perhaps Donald Trump. All very true. Yet he could still run even though he has no illusions of winning. People do have other motives to run besides just winning the nomination, you know.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Mark: Totally agree. I assume he’s not delusional, so he presumably knows he has very little chance with the way his numbers are going.
On the other hand, even if it’s little chance, he’s probably also aware that it’s his last chance.
April 20th, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Don’t spend that $53,000 in one place Newt.
April 20th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
If Newt’s running, it’s simply for the job of “running for President” — presumably that’s a paid position, that is, he has POTUS campaign/running funds, and it’s something for him to keep busy at, flying around the US, staying in the limelight, etc., having a good time; may as well do that — run for POTUS for a while — what else better does he have to do.
(he must know that after appearing on a couch with Nancy Pelosi in the TV ad, he’s got about as much a chance for GOP POTUS nomination as Pee Wee Herman)
April 20th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
I suspect Newt’s thinking is along the lines of, “Why not?”
What does he have to lose? If he wins, he goes into the history books even if he loses to Obama. If he loses, he still gets a chance to increase his exposure. It’s all money in the pocket for him.
Running and losing in 2008 hasn’t hurt Palin’s or Huckabee’s pocketbooks one iota. There is no reason to assume it would hurt Gingrich’s in 2012.
April 20th, 2011 at 5:08 pm
Matthew,
Thanks for doing the delegate count.
April 20th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Run Newt! Run!
Split that SoCon vote baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 20th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
Finally some good news for the Pawlenty camp today.
Run NEWT RUN!!!
Gonna need you in South Carolina!
…and psssst….hey Newt..
..don’t change your fricking mind…ok dude.
April 20th, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Sam (14): Why would you think that Gingrich would get much socon vote?
April 20th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
Newt’s not the poster child for us SoCons but might be for Divorce Court or Cheaters.
I think Sam was thinking of Pence, Bachmann, or Santorum.
April 20th, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Newt gets SoCon voters, not northeast or West or Rust Belt Cons.
April 20th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
It’s like herding cats around here.
Newt does not do well in South Carolina even though it’s his neighboring state. Period
He got a dismal 10% in the poll from this year, and I think his upside is Thompson’s number at best.
SC ’08:
Mike Huckabee 29.84%
Fred Thompson 15.63%
Mitt Romney 15.30%
Ron Paul 3.62%
Giuliani 2.15%
April 20th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
Newt’s numbers are in steady fall everywhere much like Palin’s.
Next.
April 20th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Fact:
Newt pulls more voters from Huck than Romney
April 20th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Just barely, Sam. Huck cleans up if Sarah sits, though.
April 20th, 2011 at 6:34 pm
It’s kind of funny that Palin is Romney backers 2nd choice if he doesn’t run.
April 20th, 2011 at 7:03 pm
Glenn Beck calls Huckabee “progressive”
OUCH
I see a coworker dispute!
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Beck-Huckabee-progressive-Republican/2011/04/20/id/393569?s=al
April 20th, 2011 at 7:12 pm
Sam: “Newt gets SoCon voters, not northeast or West or Rust Belt Cons.”
You are using the term ‘SoCon’ to refer to southern conservatives?
April 20th, 2011 at 7:13 pm
25 yes
April 20th, 2011 at 7:46 pm
Lobbying is inherently corrupt. Lobbyists carving out special exemptions for their clients is how we get crony capitalism. Republican and Democrat lobbyists are part of the vermin that infest Washington DC.
The problem with Gingrich is that he is tied to the insiders. The most damaging thing is the fact that he did two stints at the Washington halfway house for politicians called Fannie mae/Freddie Mac. Two stints where he collected a nice paycheck for no work. I just wonder who is going to twist the knife?
Beck is right on Huckabee. If Michelle Obama was just leading voluntary efforts then that would be one thing. When you spend $4 billion that we don’t have and give the fed government the power to regulate school bake sales and support it then you are not a small government conservative. It also is interesting that Huckabee has supported the party in not paying for any of the spending in keeping the Bush tax cuts. He also supported the party in these phantom cuts.
It is not surprising Palin would get a portion of the Romney vote. It would likely be Mormon support since they are social conservatives.
April 20th, 2011 at 8:15 pm
27
Agreed. Except…
The idea that a significant portion of Romney’s supporters are Mormon. Not true. Mormons account for like 1-2% of the total American population. Which means basically 2-4% of Republicans or less are Mormon.
And of them, how many are voters? How many actually support Romney?
So, Romney’s support of around 17% nationally contains less than 4% Mormons. Probably less than 4%.
April 20th, 2011 at 8:29 pm
I’d say out of Romney’s 17% support, 2% are Mormon.
April 20th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
How much of Huckabee’s 18% support are Southern Baptist?
How many are Evangelical?
a LOT more than 2%
10%? 15%? Somewhere around there.
April 20th, 2011 at 8:44 pm
Sam,
Beck has been fired by Fox News. Good riddance!
April 20th, 2011 at 8:50 pm
wonder who this could be?????
http://www.crazydaysandnights.net/2011/04/todays-blind-items_20.html
April 20th, 2011 at 8:51 pm
He’s taking disgruntled employee final parting shots.
Notice he doesn’t have the guts to say that on his TV show. Yet.
April 20th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
Sam: It is generally used to mean ‘social conservative’.
April 20th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
The intrade odds for Huckabee announcing are at about 45% right now. If he continues to wait while others prepare, I’d bet against him running. Newt’s a serious threat to Huckabee.
April 20th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
Beck was not fired by Fox News. Beck apparently is moving his base from NY City which made his continuation of a daily show impossible. It seems that the Huckabee people are bitter towards anyone who tells the truth about Huckabee.
There is no rush for anyone to get in. If you have enough name recognition then you can wait until the summer. Gingrich doesn’t threaten anyone.
April 21st, 2011 at 11:52 am
Frankie,
Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch said they want to go in a different direction and did in fact tell Beck: No new contract aka you are fired when this one runs out this year. Start packing.
So quit trying to spin it about Huck who WAS NOT FIRED, btw.
April 21st, 2011 at 11:55 am
Beck is a fool and Fox News has had it with his nightly nonsense.
Tons of sponsors (who wanted to reach a conservative audience) have already pulled the plug on his show.
And Fox management said that’s enough. Beck’s gone forever asap.