Posted on 01/18/2012 1:22:00 PM PST by TBBT
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Several prominent conservatives have called for Rick Perry to call his presidential bid quits, with one blogger urging the Texas governor to end his campaign and throw his backing toward Newt Gingrich.
Erick Erickson, the founder of RedState.com, the website that hosted the event where Perry announced his presidential bid in August, penned an entry today calling Perry a potential “kingmaker” in the South Carolina primary if he drops out before the weekend.
“Barring a miracle, this is Rick Perry’s final act in the 2012 elections. On Saturday, he will come in last in South Carolina,” Erickson wrote in a diary entry on RedState today. “Perry, however, has a potential trump card up his sleeve as he rebuilds political capital. It’s simple: he can drop out today, and endorse someone else. Doing so today, before the CNN debate tomorrow, gives the news time to sink in.”
Erickson suggested that the Texas governor’s choice of an endorsement would likely be Gingrich, not Romney or Santorum.
Earlier in the day, radio host Laura Ingraham urged the Texas governor to leave the race in order to boost another social conservative over front-runner Mitt Romney. “It’s time for Rick Perry to drop out of the race — he is only helping Romney by splitting the vote,” Ingraham tweeted.
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47 states have not voted for a nominee yet! I would like to actually have my vote count.
STAY STAY STAY STAY
I don’t see him dropping out just yet, maybe after SC not before.
Afterwards, it’s clear he and Santorum have no money.
I think Newt should STFU about asking people to drop out. There’s a slim chance, depending on tomorrow, that he might be able to beat Romney or come close.
I’d be sorry to see Perry leave the debates because he adds a lift to them, and Romney seems to get flustered by him.
I think we should let the people of South Carolina have the option of supporting Perry.
We heard that argument from the Newt supporters before that we shouldn’t let Iowa and New Hampshire decide the nominee.
If Newt can stay in, then so should Perry. Let the folks in the South have their say, and then go from there.
Sure, it would benefit Santorum if Perry were to drop, but that’s not the point.
Perry polling at 4% is not a factor and it does not matter if he stays in or drops out.
Do you actually know who Eric Erickson is?
He’s is the editor of Red State and has been one of Perry’s largest supporters (literally as someone point out, in the tank for Perry). Perry announced at an even sponsored by Erickson.
This isn’t some random RINO calling for Perry to leave, it is perhaps his largest and most consistent supporters in the press.
“I think Newt should STFU about asking people to drop out. There’s a slim chance, depending on tomorrow, that he might be able to beat Romney or come close.”
And there’s also the chance that he implodes and Santorum passes him again.
Let the people have their say. If Newt really is the candidate, then the people will say so. So far they’ve shown that they really don’t like Newt.
Perry got 2% in NH.
If it turns out Santorum wins Iowa after recount he did so because of the last few days of the lies Romney's PAC hit Newt with. Santorum did nothing but ride on the back of these killer adds. Maybe you forgot that Newt was way the winner until Romney's crap.
I still think Rick Santorum is the best candidate standing but you don't hear us whining for somebody to drop out. You don't hear that out of the Perry supporters either.
LOVE THIS TWEET :
“Newt calls for other candidates to drop out. Other candidates call for newt to drop dead! ;) “
Even if he wins, they still don't really lose that much because of his liberal record which requires no elaboration around here. He's their win/win republican candidate and it's no surprise at all that they are working hard to clear a path to the nomination for him.
Thank you! I love the way a few people want to dictate the terms of the election. Don't drop out, guys. The rest of the country would like to also be able to choose.
I’m getting pretty sick and tired of being battered by the Newt supporters telling us to GTFO.
“Newt was way the winner until Romney’s crap.”
Newt was at 36 percent nationally, and then imploded.
I haven’t forgotten. We should give Santorum credit for the work he did to actually defeat Romney in a primary, something Newt has not achieved.
Call it shoe leather, call it whatever you want to call it. But the point is that he won and we need to give him credit for it rather then diminishing his accomplishments.
He tied Santorum in NH and was undone in Iowa by millions of dollars in negative attack adds that were directed solely at him. Furthermore, who really cares what a couple of blue states think in a Republican primary anyways? Now we get to SC and, despite Romney's negative attack add blitz, Newt is still closing in on him. RCP polling averages have him polling in second place behind Romney. Yesterday's Rasmussen poll has him within 3 points of Romney in fact and 12 points ahead of Santorum in third place. I think it's pretty difficult to argue that people don't like the man.
“Perry needs to endorse Newt and then get on the next bus back to Tayhas!”
Right, because dissing Texas is the way to draw Perry supporters into your bus.
As far as I know, Newt has not asked anyone to exit the race. The thing about Santorum was a question posed to him from a reporter, where he answered that he would love Santorum’s endorsement IF he exited the race.
Until I actually hear him directly ask for candidates to drop out, I will not fall for the media spin. My guess is that it is coming from the Romney camp. They are dirty players.
“He tied Santorum in NH”
Actually, he lost after the count was finished. Santorum came from behind once again and overcame the deficit.
“undone in Iowa by millions of dollars in negative attack adds that were directed solely at him.”
Sounds like an excuse. Newt wilted in the heat.
“Furthermore, who really cares what a couple of blue states think in a Republican primary anyways?”
Sour grapes. I didn’t really want them anyways.
“Now we get to SC and, despite Romney’s negative attack add blitz”
Newt was +20 in SC before.
“RCP polling averages have him polling in second place behind Romney.”
This was supposed to be a Newt blowout.
“I think it’s pretty difficult to argue that people don’t like the man.”
Some people do like the man. But his favourability is far lower than Santorum. Newt has very high unfavourability. Call it baggage, but that is why the attacks are effective.
If you think that the attacks are going to let up now, you’re mistaken. If Newt can’t beat Romney in South Carolina, it’s over for him.
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