Newt Gingrich's 2012 Endorsements Show Weak Support From Washington (PHOTOS)

PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- Newt Gingrich likes to say that he's not an establishment candidate, despite his two-decades in the House of Representatives. He may have a point, though, when it comes to endorsements from inside the Beltway, of which he has very few.

Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) said after President Barack Obama's State of the Union address last week -- and three days after Gingrich won the South Carolina primary by a large margin -- that Gingrich would pick up more endorsements from members of Congress soon. He said he would meet with members on Jan. 25 to talk about whether they want to endorse Gingrich.

So far, no endorsements have been announced publicly. Establishment figures have criticized Gingrich for his egotistic and erratic behavior.

Bob Dole, a former Republican candidate for president, wrote in an email forwarded to the National Review that Republicans won't win unless they nominate Mitt Romney, saying Gingrich was a bad leader who refused to take advice.

"Hardly anyone who served with Newt in Congress has endorsed him and that fact speaks for itself. He was a one-man-band who rarely took advice," Dole wrote. "It was his way or the highway."

Gingrich said the Republican establishment is working against his campaign, according to the Associated Press.

"The Republican establishment is just as much as an establishment as the Democratic establishment, and they are just as determined to stop us," he said on Jan. 27, the AP reported.

Gingrich is not entirely without endorsements, however. View the slideshow below to see some of the people who have endorsed the former House speaker for the presidential nomination.

Meghan Neal and Paige Lavender contributed reporting.

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Comments

[believerinhim]

11:07 AM on 01/31/2012

New Gingrich is simply OUT OF CONTROL! Someone, anyone that may be close to him, tell him to stop, get out, and leave before he does any more damage to the Republican party. Suggest he sign up for the moon colony project--he wouldn't have to buy a ticket on the plane --he could get there on hot air!

[Grace Hulbert]

10:59 AM on 01/31/2012

Newt has confused "outsider" with "outcast".

[NovemberScorp]

09:49 AM on 01/31/2012

Can you imagine the nightmare we Americans would have with Newtie as President and his finger on the trigger to start a war? Pay close attention NOW to how he acts under pressure ... it speaks volumes of how he will act in the future

[lundeenc]

08:29 AM on 01/31/2012

The polls show about 89% of Americans think congress is doing a lousy job and 57% think the members should ALL be replaced. Why would anyone want THEIR endorsement?

[Wa1111]

07:28 AM on 01/31/2012

This is RIDICULOUS! NEWT IS AN OUTSIDER! When her was asked about how one person could eat 62 Big Macs ast one sitting...HE WAS IN THE PARKING LOT...OUT-SIIIIIIIDE OF MICKEY-D'S. WHY DO YOU PLOT AGIN THE MAN? BEST FLORIDA PRIMARY BLOG, EVER! Thoughts at 3 A.M.: Imagine They Held A Primary...And Nobody Cared http://thoughtsatthreeam.blogspot.com/2012/01/imagine-they-held-primaryand-nobody.html?spref=tw

[ILoveMyCoffee]

01:22 AM on 01/31/2012

You forgot Sarah Palin. As a former governor I would consider her an establishment figure. That said, her endorsement for Newt is useless in the swing state in Florida. Curiously though, Gingrich's national polling has not collapse as much as it has in Florida. I should wait until the fallout from tomorrow's primary but I think Gingrich will do better than expected in the other southern and more conservative states, where the endorsements of people like Herman Cain and the half-term governor could actually matter.

[bob haschat]

09:40 PM on 01/30/2012

Newt, an outsider? A tough question to answer! A fox in the hen house a good thing? Also a tough question to answer. I have to say, someone who worked in congress for a coule decades, then lobbied congress after that should be getting more endorsements from DC. What does DCknow that the constituents don't?

[Matt Blanc]

11:04 AM on 01/31/2012

The 'establishment' GOP knows that newborn-da-bomb is insane. Talk about using 'code words' - 'off-the-wall' ideas, volatile, idea-a-minute, etc. And he has no ability to build coalitions - you're either a worshipper at his feet or you're his enemy. He has all of the characteristics of a narcissistic sociopath. And for the egos in the GOP to even realize that he's a sick-o, you know he's gotta be a lot worse than anything you see when he's in public. (And that's bad enough.) And does anybody else get the feeling that Callista has a pair of stiletto thigh-high boots and a whip in her closet?

[MDCA]

09:15 PM on 01/30/2012

McCain "supports" Romney, and a few days later, his oppo book showed up online. Livingstone "supports" Gingrich, and calls him "volatile." With friends like this, both of them should start looking for "enemies."

[MDCA]

09:12 PM on 01/30/2012

With supporters like Livingston, Newt is toast.

[PistovAmerican]

07:26 PM on 01/30/2012

"endorsed him from prison"---
priceless

[stinodino]

07:14 PM on 01/30/2012

I hope the Floridians read this article and vote for Mitt. Do I think Mitt Romney is the ideal candidate the answer is no but he is all we have. A vote for Gingrich is a vote for Obama because Newt is not electable. I feel that even more after reading this article.Newt looks like a garden gnome. He is not presidential material in his looks or any other part of him. He is the epitome of the slimy politician.

[bob haschat]

09:41 PM on 01/30/2012

There is a world of things we may not agree on, but your analysis is spot on!

[theda1]

07:11 PM on 01/30/2012

The Americans supporting Newt don't care if he has weak support from Washington. Those clowns in Washington are the main reason America is in trouble. Go Newt and clean out the White House. Sweep the Senate and mop up the Congress. Destroy their cob webs.

[jantomnidrah]

07:10 PM on 01/30/2012

If you want to see some real sleeze check the back grounds of the 32 czars Obama has appointed to posts. It from communist to anti american and you name it;

[bebby37]

08:52 AM on 01/31/2012

Where do you get your information? Comic books?

[jantomnidrah]

03:18 PM on 01/31/2012

For openers beeby
Ed Montgomery Auto recovery czar
Radical anti-business black activiest. Univ of mar;yland business school dean, teaches U>S> bvusiness has caused world poverty. Acorn board member. communist DuBois club member
AlanBefrsin Border czar
Former failed superdent of Ultra-Liberal, Served as border czar under Janet Reno to keep borders open to illegals without interference from fed govt
Lynn ROsenthal Domestic violence czar
Director National Network to end dom violence. Vicious anti-male feminist. Favors male castration

[JackR13]

07:01 PM on 01/30/2012

I think that it's a good time to remind everyone that B. Husseins' supporters include the CPUSA, Hezbollah, HAMAS, the PLO and the SEIU. Just sayin'.

[bob haschat]

09:46 PM on 01/30/2012

I think that it's a good time to remind you that, just because you saw it on faux news, doesn't mean it is really true. Just saying

[JackR13]

05:59 PM on 01/31/2012

You win today's Ostrich Award! Congratulations!

[bob haschat]

09:48 PM on 01/30/2012

I think it's time your party stop running against the made up guy, and prepare to run against the real guy.

[JackR13]

06:00 PM on 01/31/2012

The only guy we know is the "made-up" guy. And, having watched him for three years, there is NO real guy.

[Mochilero]

06:59 PM on 01/30/2012

It is not a bit startling that a sleazy loose cannon like the big eft gets little love from other politicians. Familiarity doth breed contempt.