Newt Gingrich Crawls Back

Despite his poor rankings from the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary, it appears candidate Newt Gingrich has pulled back to the forefront of the race following his victory in the South Carolina Primary.

Gingrich attributes his win to his performance in recent debates. Though attacked by negative ads from other candidates, in subjects including his controversial "open marriage" proposal to his ex-wife, he pulled through with cheers and applause. As he remarked, he did not need to spend sums of money in advertising to win a primary; it was his ideas that counted.

Endorsed by Rick Perry and Sarah Palin, the former Alaskan governor, Gingrich attracted votes from many conservatives and religious citizens. In addition, exit polls indicated that he was backed by those concerned with the economy: 42% who picked Gingrich to the 28% who voted for Romney. It appears economic policy is just as important as the moral and ideological values candidates wish to bring to office. This game-changing victory may well aid Gingrich in Florida, where he next prepares to embark upon a series of campaigns.

Rick Perry Is Out, Backing Newt Gingrich

Deuces!!!!

Governor Rick Perry has recently suspended his campaign for the GOP presidential nominee.  His decision is no surprise in light of the dwindling support he has garnered over the past months. Based on recent polls, Perry was projected to have around 6% of South Carolina's votes, behind Romney, Gingrich, Santorum, and Paul. Although Perry will no longer make an impact on the GOP nomination, he had his fair share of noteworthy moments and controversies while his campaign was still active.  In remembrance of the Texas governor, here are some of Rick Perry's most memorable moments.

2-0 for Romney predicts a victory in South Carolina?

Being attacked as not a pure conservative and a heartless “corporate raider” did not stop Romney from finishing first, with a big margin of victory, in the New Hampshire Republican Primary. Speaking before the crowd, Romney declared, “Tonight, we made history.” Focusing on Obama, as always, Romney said to his opponents, “In the last few days, we have seen some desperate Republicans join forces with him [Obama]. This is such a mistake for our party and for our nation. This country already has a leader who divides us with the bitter politics of envy. We must offer an alternative vision.”

Days before the Primary, his Republican opponents seemed to have united on bringing him down. They questioned his work in Bain Capital, the private investment firm he co- founded and source of his wealth, and took out of its original context his remark: “I like to be able to fire people.”

Nonetheless, Romney garnered 39.4% of the votes last Tuesday. Santorum, Gingrich, and Perry were trailing far behind. With all the money he spent, Huntsman only finished third. On the other hand, Ron Paul continued to show a strong standing, with 22.8% of the overall vote.

However, many Republican candidates are hoping to turn the tides in the upcoming South Carolina Primary. Compared to Iowa and New Hampshire, this is a larger and more conservative state. Romney’s moderate views and Mormon faith may not be appealing to the voters. Only “14% of those who voted Tuesday said being a "true conservative" was the most important thing to them.” South Carolina is comprised of a large bloc of evangelical voters, who may pose some resistance against Romney. He also does not have a home- field advantage like in New Hampshire. Moreover, his rivals are more eager on attacking him than ever before. None of them are likely to back down. Huntsman, who is not fairing well, said, “I’d say third place is a ticket to ride. Hello, South Carolina!”

Still, Romney has some advantages. He has an edge in terms of funding, which is necessary as the primaries move toward larger states. Furthermore, most of his rivals only represent portions of the Republican base. For example, Paul appeals to independents while Santorum and Perry attract social conservatives. No one offers a “complete package.” Romney can also benefit a lot if the evangelicals and the tea party spit their votes.

Winning in South Carolina and Florida will be a great victory for Romney and will help him in moving ahead of the pack. But, it all depends on how he handles his opponents and uses his strengths.

Do you guys think that Romney will capture South Carolina? Will his not very conservative views and religion give him a tough time? Is his sole focus of removing Obama in office enough to carry him until November? *

*He said, “Nothing unites Republicans like these two words: Beat Obama."