In 2007, Newt Gingrich continually flirted with a presidential run, garnering plenty of media attention, but in the end decided to pass. This time, Gingrich will be one of the first to commit, which according to the AP will happen on Wednesday:
A spokesman for Newt Gingrich says the former House speaker will announce Wednesday he is running for president.
Rick Tyler said Gingrich will make the announcement by Facebook and Twitter. He will give an interview to Fox News later that night.
Four years ago while I was writing at Captain’s Quarters, I speculated that 2012 would work out better for Gingrich than 2008. He would have four years to create a grassroots organization through American Solutions, which could have provided a powerful force once it matured, I thought then. However, that hasn’t really come to pass. The Tea Party has eclipsed American Solutions, which still does great work on energy policy with its Drill Here, Drill Now efforts. Newt hasn’t gotten the traction from Tea Party activists that one might have thought, and that is where the action will most likely be.
In fact, the bigger news on Tea Party and Georgia fronts this month might be the official entry of another Georgia conservative into the race. Jim Geraghty notices the same e-mail I received today:
Longtime corporate executive and conservative leader Herman Cain will announce his decision regarding a potential presidential campaign on Saturday, May 21, 2011 in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.
The event will be a free rally open to the public. Media must be credentialed to attend. Click here to apply for credentials.
Cain is widely believed to have been the winner of the first 2012 Republican candidate debate Thursday evening in Greenville, SC, and has steadily gained grassroots and financial support across the U.S. He is best known for his executive positions in many major American corporations, including Godfather’s Pizza, Pillsbury and Burger King. He also served as the President of the National Restaurant Association and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Missouri.
Like Jim, I’m pretty sure that Cain doesn’t need a free rally to announce that he’d rather rescue another corporation from failure than run for President. Frankly, the Cain announcement sounds more intriguing than a run by Gingrich. There is less baggage, and even though Cain lacks experience in political office (excepting his time at the quasi-governmental Fed), his excellent communication and presentation skills will at the very least challenge other GOP candidates in the race. Gingrich, for all of his brilliance, represents the past in the GOP, while Cain at the very least represents the Tea Party present.
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