Yes, the MO delegate contest is later in the campaign cycle.
I would add that Newt lags in funding.
No sense Newt spending his precious little money campaigning in MO in early February where he can't earn delegates.
Well, it was only a thousand bucks to register, and then you could decide later if you needed the “momentum” it would give. But I tend to agree — it will be more important to get into the actual delegate contests.
I would guess if he managed to survive his debate miscues last night, AND the scrutiny he’s getting again about all his bad policy positions, and his past, and still manages to win Iowa, New Hampshire, or South Carolina, it won’t matter much what happens in Missouri. And if he doesn’t, it certainly won’t matter.