Newt Gingrich: Mitt Romney The Weakest Republican Frontrunner In 90 Years

WASHINGTON -- Predicting wins in Alabama and Mississippi this week, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) dismissed suggestions that it’s time for him to step aside in the race for the GOP presidential nomination, arguing that Mitt Romney is the worst Republican frontrunner in nearly a century.

"The Romney camp has been trying to say since last June that I should get out of race. The fact is, Romney is probably the weakest Republican frontrunner since Leonard Wood in 1920," Gingrich told host Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday, referencing the Army general who lost to Warren G. Harding.

"Yes, he's the frontrunner, but he's not a very strong frontrunner, nearly all conservatives are opposed to him," Gingrich added. "In places where no one else can compete ... he does fine."

The nomination is looking increasingly distant for Gingrich, who would need to win nearly 70 percent of the outstanding delegates in order to clinch it. And although he's won only two states, Gingrich dodged the question of whether or not he'd toss in the towel if he failed to pick up both Mississippi and Alabama -- states where he's been polling well.

"I think we'll win both," Gingrich said. "I think we're probably pulling ahead in both states."

Asked whether he should follow some conservatives' call to step aside and give Rick Santorum a one-on-one shot against former Massachusetts Gov. Romney, Gingrich argued that Santorum didn't have the conservative credentials. Gingrich knocked the former Pennsylvania senator for allowing the federal deficit to grow under his watch.

"This is someone who had Washington change him," Gingrich said of Santorum. "To just put a label 'conservative' on it and assume that covers everything ... It's a principled difference, not just a label."

Gingrich reiterated his claims that he could quickly get the cost of a gallon of gas down to $2.50, telling Wallace he could accomplish that goal "within two years, maybe faster." Several energy experts have questioned such claims, given that even an onslaught of domestic drilling probably wouldn't affect gas prices for several years.

Comments

[lonestarlady36]

07:07 PM on 03/29/2012

see, see the Gopers do want to take us back in the late 19th/early 20th century. back room shenanigans before the convention.

[PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS]

08:02 PM on 03/12/2012

Dear Newtie, That is only because neither you or DICK Santorum are the frontrunners.............

[chancellorbrubeck]

07:36 PM on 03/12/2012

The Big Boys

Of all the Presidential candidates running, Democratic and Republican, only two have good experience wearing “Big Boy Pants”, Newt Gringrich and Ron Paul. The rest show no evidence of even sleeping in a “Big Boy Bed”, much less filling out “Big Boy Pants.”

Hang in there, Newt, you have a lot of support in Virginia!!!

Joe Fleming
Fredericksburg, VA

[OnceProudAmerican]

06:48 PM on 03/12/2012

Naw Newt!
The weakest space is filled by you! Your draging up the rear!

[PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS]

08:03 PM on 03/12/2012

Please refrain from putting "Newt" and "rear" in the same proximity.........that is an image that one can not unthink.................. :p

[Hope4us2change]

06:41 PM on 03/12/2012

Newt has been attacking Mitt from day one--from the first time he opened his mouth. I would not vote for a man who has not held a real job for 15 years!! He was kicked out of his government job and fined!! He is for open marriage, running around with a woman he had an affair with while still married to his first wife--give me a break!!! No matter how you look at it, moral integrity does matter. If you cheat with one you are not honest --this character flaw speaks volumes. Presidents should be honest--not cheaters. Mitt Romney is a man of moral integrity and his family life is exemplary. He has a friendly personality which people criticize, but I like it, he connects with a lot of folks. He is our last hope to straighten out the mess Obama has made for our country. After Obama energy flubs, I think he should be impeached.

[bdoug25000]

05:42 PM on 03/12/2012

Which begs the question: how much weaker is Newt?

[Wanjiru]

05:28 PM on 03/12/2012

What's the difference? They can both move to the moon, as far as I'm concerned.

[msblynne]

02:39 PM on 03/12/2012

Neut Gingrinch, the most delusional candidate in the history of the United States, imagining that he would have a realistic chance running against anyone. The immorality issue is just icing- the pandering, the false equivalencies, the distortions, the divisive Palin type speeches, the ego- that's the cake.

[Rhapsody16]

02:13 PM on 03/12/2012

Remember when Bachmann promised $2.00 gas and everyone laughed? Newt sure doesn't!

[IBFreeer]

11:27 AM on 03/12/2012

To: arthur99, Why should I pay any tax on the sale of my place since I am the one who took raw land,built everything, and I mean everything myself for years. No loans, no borrowing on a $70,000 a yr income. Ya'll can feed and clothe the ones who are too lazy to work, I dont care. But leave me alone to sink or swim..I have made it on my own but you bleedin hearts want to take my gains and spread it around..I take care of my own people, so why should I take care of the lazy, who have always been lazy.

[msblynne]

02:39 PM on 03/12/2012

ME! ME! ME!

[lonestarlady36]

07:10 PM on 03/29/2012

violins, please. . .

[IBFreeer]

11:17 AM on 03/12/2012

Maybe all you libs are over educated..you think your so damn smart..you dont know nothing except what obama tells you to know.

[msblynne]

02:42 PM on 03/12/2012

I'd rather be overeducated than undereducated. Who would have thought in 1776, 1781, that one major political party in the US in 2012 would be arguing against education? So retrogressive.

By the way, what the heck does this have to do with Gingrinch?

[Weeweed Up]

11:17 PM on 03/12/2012

If he could read he would tell you. His kid had to go to bed so he's got no help. Have a heart, Ms. Blynne.

[jeffrow63]

04:56 PM on 03/12/2012

Maybe you cons are undereducated. All you know is what you regurgitate from your Fox News. Learn to think for yourself and stop hating everyone who isn't just like you.

[cosmicman]

10:55 AM on 03/12/2012

I can't imagine anybody voteing for any of these guys except the wealthy, the big international corporations and the Radical Christian Right but they'll vote for any Republican just to get the Democrat out of the white house.

[jeffrow63]

04:56 PM on 03/12/2012

You mean the black man.

[cosmicman]

09:59 PM on 03/12/2012

Yeah, that too

[sgdbaty13]

10:17 AM on 03/12/2012

Gingrich finally got something right. Romney is a puppet of the elite 1%.

[Russg]

02:35 PM on 03/12/2012

What he failed to mention is that so is Newt.

[carmillivanilli]

10:15 AM on 03/12/2012

This leaves me incredulous. Newt must know that he's not going to win at this point, and that this is a perfect instance of cutting off your nose to spite your face. However, I got no complaints - keep poisoning your party from the inside, guys. It makes for great entertainment.

[Weeweed Up]

11:21 PM on 03/12/2012

Newt knows he can't win but he's got boxes of books to sell.

[3fingerbrown]

09:53 AM on 03/12/2012

Of course, Major General Wood, one of the most distinguished soldiers in US history, wasn't sufficiently crooked to win the Republican nomination. They instead gave it to Harding, a total stooge for shady business interests.

In politics, nothing changes but the technology.