2012 GOP Update – Gingrich on a Roll – New Hampshire Union Leader Endorses

Newt Gingrich at the New Hampshire Union Leader - image NH Union Leader

Newt Gingrich, 2012 GOP Presidential Candidate, has received the endorsement of the editorial board of the New Hampshire Union Leader. The Union Leader, in its endorsement, does not sound one whit like pre-2010 newspaper endorsement – in fact, not unlike the changes in the New Hampshire political scene since that time, the editorial board should be applauded for its straight forward, what might be considered “Tea Party”, approach to the endorsement of the former Speaker.

The endorsement, from the publisher, Joseph W. McQuaid :

“This newspaper endorses Newt Gingrich in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary.

America is at a crucial crossroads. It is not going to be enough to merely replace Barack Obama next year. We are in critical need of the innovative, forward-looking strategy and positive leadership that Gingrich has shown he is capable of providing.

He did so with the Contract with America. He did it in bringing in the first Republican House in 40 years and by forging balanced budgets and even a surplus despite the political challenge of dealing with a Democratic President. A lot of candidates say they're going to improve Washington. Newt Gingrich has actually done that, and in this race he offers the best shot of doing it again.

We sympathize with the many people we have heard from, both here and across the country, who remain unsure of their choice this close to the primary. It is understandable. Our nation is in peril, yet much of the attention has been focused on fluff, silliness and each candidate's minor miscues.

Truth be known, many in the liberal media are belittling the Republican candidates because they don't want any of them to be taken as a serious challenger to their man, Obama.

Readers of the Union Leader and Sunday News know that we don't back candidates based on popularity polls or big-shot backers. We look for conservatives of courage and conviction who are independent-minded, grounded in their core beliefs about this nation and its people, and best equipped for the job.

We don't have to agree with them on every issue. We would rather back someone with whom we may sometimes disagree than one who tells us what he thinks we want to hear.

Newt Gingrich is by no means the perfect candidate. But Republican primary voters too often make the mistake of preferring an unattainable ideal to the best candidate who is actually running. In this incredibly important election, that candidate is Newt Gingrich. He has the experience, the leadership qualities and the vision to lead this country in these trying times. He is worthy of your support on January 10.”

The Hill article on the endorsement Here discusses the papers’ “track record” in endorsing candidates, and points to a poll taken by Suffolk University which gave GOP Candidate Mitt Romney the advantage in New Hampshire - consider the beltway. A poll taken a week prior to the Suffolk poll, by a New Hampshire Journal in conjunction with Magellan Strategies, showed Gingrich in a statistical and numerical dead heat with Romney (Analysis of both the Suffolk and the Journal poll here,). Mitt Romney is considered the establishment candidate, had a somewhat poor showing in the critical National Security Debate, and should he fumble again (verbally), in the upcoming CNN Debate on December 1st, it will be an uphill battle for the former Massachusetts Governor.

It is, for most 2012 voters, the questions now of who could best Obama in the debate arena, as well as appeal to several factions in order to secure an election: the Tea Party (check), Independents (check) and rank and file Republicans (check) – as of this moment, that candidate is Newt Gingrich. Should Gingrich win the Iowa Caucus, go on to win in New Hampshire, and pull out South Carolina, it will be difficult, if not impossible for another candidate to “catch-up” as Super Tuesday follows fast on the heels of the early primary states.

In 2008, Romney won three primary states, and eight caucus states (CNN), coming in 2nd and 3rd in the Southern and Mid-Western States that are critical to the general election. Should Gingrich take the three of the four first primary states, specifically New Hampshire (which is, this must be understood, a Tea Party, rather than establishment Republican state), then the 2008 GOP primary scenario may very see Romney bow out by March.