Santorum, Gingrich duke it out down south

Washington Examiner ^ | March 11th, 2012 | Susan Ferrechio

[Mariner]

This week's Southern primaries are shaping up as make-or-break contests for Republican presidential contenders Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, who are battling to become the lone conservative alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney.

Gingrich, who won two Southern primaries but trailed Romney and Santorum in every other contest, knows the stakes could not be higher in Tuesday's primaries in Mississippi and Alabama. His own campaign aides acknowledge that the former House speaker must win both states to remain a credible contender.

Gingrich is pouring every resource into Mississippi and Alabama and campaigning heavily in both states. He is particularly focused on Alabama, which borders Georgia, the state Gingrich represented in Congress for years.

"He did tell me, 'Bill, I've got to win Alabama,' " state GOP Chairman Bill Armistead told The Washington Examiner after meeting with Gingrich last week. "I think that's the sense everybody has. I would think if he loses both Alabama and Mississippi, he would get out."

Most of the pressure for Gingrich to leave the race is coming from Santorum backers, who believe Gingrich's exit would allow conservatives to united behind Santorum, giving him the broader support he'd need to prevent Romney from winning the nomination.

[Mariner]

Isn't there a big poll due out soon?

[katiedidit1]

PRAYER'S UP FOR NEWT!

[no dems]

I’m a Newt guy, but, if he loses both AL and MS, it’s time to go.

[katiedidit1]

Why would anyone in Mississippi vote for Santorum? that state was hit by Hurricane Katrina! Santorum voted for the 2005 highway bill that included thousands and thousands of wasteful earmarks, including the Bridge to Nowhere. In fact, according to Club for Growth, "in a separate vote, Santorum had the audacity to vote to continue funding the Bridge to Nowhere rather than send the money to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina."

[Houghton M.]

Yeah. They call it a primary election. Tuesday.

[Houghton M.]

Scozzafava. Pelosi’s couch. I’m tired of your gotcha crap. You Newties are driving more people way than winning to Newt’s cause. The drivel you repeat ad nauseum has been repeated so often that those who are persuaded by it have joined Newt’s side long ago. Why don’t you give it a rest?

[Houghton M.]

Scozzafava. Pelosi’s couch. I’m tired of your gotcha crap. You Newties are driving more people away than winning to Newt’s cause. The drivel you repeat ad nauseum has been repeated so often that those who are persuaded by it have joined Newt’s side long ago. Why don’t you give it a rest?

[Craftmore]

No,Newt and the Newtereds must wait till California,Im really really sure he can turn it around then.If only everyone “including Obama”would just quit and get out of Newts way,,,,really

[rightly_dividing]

The primaries where Newt is strong will not roll around for a while yet. Newt is big in all southern states, not just AL and Ms, and Texas is being delayed by federal judges trying to nullify Texas’ importance in the campaign.