As voters go to the polls in 10 states across the country today, an upbeat Newt Gingrich said he’s optimistic about his chances in his longtime home state of Georgia, said he was in the race for the long haul and predicted he even would pick up delegates in Ohio, where polls show him running well behind front-runners Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.
“We were very concerned early that Romney would dump millions in [Georgia] in negative advertising, which he did, but it didn’t seem to have any effect,” Mr. Gingrich, a former House speaker, said. “We’re at least 20 points ahead and looking forward to a very, very good day here in Georgia.”
In an interview with The Washington Times-affiliated “America’s Morning News” radio program, the former Georgia congressman said he hasn’t conceded Ohio to the front-runners.
“Saturday we were in Ohio. I think we’ll come in third, but I think we have a real chance to pick up some delegates, so we’re trying to pick up every vote we can,” he said.
Mr. Gingrich said this year’s fight for the Republican presidential nomination is the most unpredictable campaign in decades.
“It’s the most unusual campaign I’ve ever seen. I tell people it’s like riding Space Mountain at Disney World. You’re in the dark, it’s a roller coaster, you don’t where you’ve been, where you’re going, or where you are, but it’s sure exciting.”
He said he intends to stay in the race no matter what happens Tuesday.
“Gov. Romney can raise so much money from Wall Street that it’s hard to knock him out, and modern Internet-based campaigning — talk radio, cable news — makes it possible for people like Santorum and me to survive for a long time, so it’s hard to knock us out. And Ron Paul has his own organization and his own structure, so you could imagine this going all the way to Tampa,” site of the GOP convention in August.
• David Eldridge can be reached at deldridge@washingtontimes.com.
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