Newt Gingrich’s improbably comeback in the Presidential race has taken another interesting turn as he has scored what must be considered one of the most significant endorsements in New Hampshire.
From CNS News:
New Hampshire's largest newspaper on Sunday endorsed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the 2012 GOP presidential race, signaling that rival Mitt Romney isn't the universal favorite and potentially resetting the contest before the state's lead-off primary Jan. 10.
"We are in critical need of the innovative, forward-looking strategy and positive leadership that Gingrich has shown he is capable of providing," The New Hampshire Union Leader said in its front-page editorial, which was as much a promotion of Gingrich as a discreet rebuke of Romney.
"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," the editorial said.
Romney enjoys a solid leads in New Hampshire polls and remains at the front of the pack nationally. A poll released last week showed him with 42 percent support among likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire. Gingrich followed with 15 percent in the WMUR-University of New Hampshire Granite State poll.
Rep. Ron Paul of Texas posted 12 percent support and former Utah Gov. John Huntsman found 8 percent support in that survey.
Those numbers could shift based on the backing of The Union Leader, a newspaper with a conservative editorial page that proudly works to influence elections, from school boards to the White House, in the politically savvy state.
The value of this endorsement cannot be understated. New Hampshire is all but Mitt Romney’s home state. In fact, he owns a house in New Hampshire. He made a major effort to reach out to the Union Leader to secure the endorsement.
New Hampshire is a must win state for Romney. If Gingrich wins Iowa and then turns around a week later and wins New Hampshire, which is considered home turf for the Romney campaign, Romney will be on the ropes. He has almost no chance in South Carolina. If Gingrich comes out of the first three primaries with wins, the race will be over.
Romney knows exactly what this means. While Gingrich has been very diligent in not attacking other Republicans, do not expect Romney to show him the same courtesy.
We are 37 days away from the Iowa caucuses and 44 days away from the New Hampshire primaries.
Hang on folks, the ride is about to get very interesting.
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