I don’t blame Gingrich for wanting to do things his way, either. It is, after all, his campaign. And the truth is, his decision to run a less traditional operation should come as no surprise; Gingrich has long rejected the conventional wisdom of political strategists and consultants. In 2007, for example, he said, “I think Republican consultants are mostly very stupid. I think they have no education. I think they have no sense of history.”

In a sense, Gingrich’s decision to do things his way is refreshing. He has never been a traditional politician, so why act like one now? But will voters reward him for it? Gingrich concedes he doesn’t really know the answer to that question, saying, “we’ll find out over the next year who’s right.”

It may not take that long.