Gingrich unofficially concedes: Did he harm the party by waiting so long?
After vowing to fight to the convention, Newt reportedly decides to bow out and acknowledge that Mitt Romney is the GOP nominee
Newt Gingrich plans to drop out of the Republican presidential nomination race on May 1, campaign aides have told Fox News — and endorse the GOP's presumptive nominee, Mitt Romney, at the same time. The decision, which came after Romney's five-primary sweep on Tuesday, is a major reversal for Gingrich, who'd vowed to fight all the way to the convention in August. Did Newt damage the GOP by waiting so long to bow out?
Yes. He should have been gone well before this: Gingrich certainly "didn't help his party or the conservative movement" with his needlessly drawn out campaign, says Jennifer Rubin at The Washington Post. He added nothing to the debate, short of his plan to colonize the moon. If anything, he weakened his party's chances in the fall. "His attack on [fellow Republican] Paul Ryan's Medicare plan may reverberate in the November election. His attack on Mitt Romney's Bain experience lent credence to the Left's class warfare."
"What did Newt Gingrich's run accomplish?"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Newt only harmed himself: By the end, Gingrich was such a non-factor he wasn't hurting Romney, says Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. By refusing to accept reality for so long, he did nothing but "[damage] his own credibility and financial future, especially with four third-place finishes behind Ron Paul." Maybe if he wises up and offers his endorsement, Romney will have pity on him and help retire his $4 million-plus campaign debt.
"Unofficially conceding to Romney?"
Once again, the predicted civil war never happened: In 2008, Hillary Clinton's supporters claimed they wouldn't back Barack Obama after her exit, says Michael Laprarie at Wizbang, but they ultimately did. Likewise, the GOP is uniting behind Romney after all. "Both Santorum and Gingrich have bowed out of the race peacefully" and urged their supporters to retain their principles while supporting the party. Despite all the talk of a contested convention, "the nomination belongs to Romney," and the GOP is no worse for the wear.
"Newt Gingrich out of Republican presidential race"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Are 'judge shopping' rules a blow to Republicans?
Today's Big Question How the abortion pill case got to the Supreme Court
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Climate change is driving Indian women to choose sterilization
under the radar Faced with losing their jobs, they are making a life-altering decision
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
'A great culture will be lost if the EV brigade gets its way'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published