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Alabama GOP Chair: If Gingrich Loses the South, He's ‘Out of the Ball Game’
By Lara Seligman
Updated: March 13, 2012 | 11:13 a.m.
March 13, 2012 | 7:21 a.m.
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead said on Tuesday that out of all the GOP presidential candidates, Newt Gingrich has spent the most time campaigning in the state — and that he has the most at stake as voters head to the polls.
Gingrich needs Southern support the most, Armistead said, arguing that if the former House speaker doesn't do well in Alabama and Mississippi he will no longer be competitive.
“You would think he was running for governor here,” Armistead said on CNN’s Early Start, adding that if Gingrich loses both Southern states, “I believe he’s out of the ball game and then it will be a one-to-one between Santorum and Romney.”
“Alabama GOP Chair: If Gingrich Loses the South, He’s ‘Out of the Ball Game’”
Alabama Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead sings for his supper.
He was correct. When GIngrich lost those two states, he was essentially done. Except he didn’t quit. He also didn’t do what others here are skewering Santorum about, release his delegates so they could support Santorum and give Santorum an argument that he could get to 1144.
Because Gingrich right now is playing the same game Santorum is — keep your delegates, go to the convention, use your influence to get your conservative positions aired.
Of course, it seems both candidates are more likely to release their delegates if Romney locks up a majority. In the meantime, Gingrich is still in the race, and has his one-on-one with Romney that his supporters wanted, and it’s only mid-April.
Lets see how Gingrich does in Pennsylvania, which isn’t conservative but at least is somewhat republican.
Wouldn't surprise me. You'd be amazed at how stuck on themselves some of these unelected politicos can be once they become the "almighty state chair of the Republican Party" or some other "high-ranking" official like that. If some politician doesn't kowtow or pay the "proper respect," then they'll use all the influence they can squeeze from their position against him or her.