Newt was leading Mitt by a wide margin in the polls in December 2011. That's when the media and the RINOs began to push Santorum.
So what? So did Perry before he destroyed himself.
Screw what happened before the voting started. When it did Newt got Jack in Iowa and NH. Then he won South Carolina. Then he attacked Romney as an evil rich guy, then he tanked and lost Florida, then his campaign was DEAD yet he stayed in the race and helped Romney win key states by narrow plurality. FAIL. FAIL. FAIL.