The “base” isn’t determining this, and in fact, voter turn out in the primaries has been very poor. In some states, as we recall, Newt wasn’t even on the ballot. This was thanks to Romney’s money, which he had been busy spending lavishly since 2008, pretty much salting the earth for other candidates: look at all the endorsements he reaped from people to whom he had earlier given the odd $30,000 or so for their campaigns (I’m thinking of Marco Rubio).
Then of course, there was the press, which ridiculed him virtually from the start (and there’s nothing worse than ridicule).
Finally, don’t overlook the massive opposition to Newt among the pundits and opinion-makers of the base, people such as Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, etc. It’s puzzling, and I honestly don’t understand their opposition to him, but that’s how it was.
So what’s remarkable is actually that he’s still standing and that he’s doing as well as he is.
Listen, if the base wanted to turn out, then it could have turned out. No one is forcing anyone to stay home.
If he wasn’t on the ballot, it’s because he failed to get on the ballot. If you want to win the nomination for president, you have to win primaries and in order to do that, you have to be on the ballot. He is smart enough to know that.
Had Newt, Perry, Santorum et al been on the ballot, I do no think they would have been removed from the ballot, so they all need to look at themselves on that one.
The press is going to ridicule anyone that isn’t a communist and that is all there is to it.
I’ve never heard Rush say anything particualry harsh against Newt or anyone else for that matter. He isn’t supporting anyone in this primary and he has stated so numerous times. Ann Coulter is a babbling idiot, and personally I don’t think anyone should listen to her.
I will agree that it is remarkable that he hasn’t dropped yet, but it’s kinda pointless now, and a lot of people are saying that he appears arrogant in not dropping out, but I don’t know.
I voted for Newt, but I am also a realist. He failed in convincing enough people that he should be a leader, and as a result, he is not likely to be a leader. There is no point in making excuses for him, he failed to connect thus he was passed over, and that is the history of this.