I don't think I've been so overjoyed at an election win since Dubya beat Algore in 2000, or Kerry in 2004. Maybe the 2010 midterm election results come close to the lift Gingrich's win has given me tonight, but just maybe.
This is stunning. Spectacular. Better than I'd even hoped for. I see tonight's win as a powerful validation of everything we Tea-publicans stand for, and a strong endorsement of the power of the people to reject the slimy manipulations of the ruling class establishment.
The people stood in near unison against the establishment tonight, and chose the person they most trust to take it all the way to Obama in November. Naturally, the establishment is horrified by tonight's results (as witnessed by the dour faces across the news reporting media), but we don't care. This thing is only getting started, and the message is: The People will not be denied!
With this huge boost of momentum, and with a mother lode of campaign dollars that are sure to flood the Gingrich campaign in the coming days, I have no doubt that Newt can take Mitt down a second time in Florida. I agree that a second loss in Florida should pretty well seal Mitt's doom.
Don’t forget as well that Florida is a closed primary. In South Carolina, Newt won 40-28, but he carried GOP voters 45-28, a 17% margin. Newt only won the indies by 31-26.
The takeaway: Mittens has a much steeper hill to climb in Florida. Florida may be a more “diverse” (Translate: liberal) state than S.C. but the primary electorate will be less diverse (translate: more conservative). Santorum is going to fade because people will not want to waste a vote. This will help Newt run up huge margins in the panhandle and the I-4 corridor that Willard will be unable to overcome elsewhere.
I think Newt will effectively end Romney’s chances in Florida.
I remember the initial report said Adelson was going to give $20 million to Newt, and then we heard he gave $5 million to Newt’s Super PAC. Maybe the rest was a carrot to finish the job in SC. Hopefully the next $15 million will be forthcoming.