But if the Feb. 7 debacle for Romney represented a historic setback to a front runner it was also much more than that. Lost in the interpretation of the results is the old adage that in politics losing is winning. Thus, the likelihood is that with time, voters will reflect that Gingrich in taking the fire of $20 to $25 million in attack ads kept his cool, managed to win a resounding victory in South Carolina and, most of all, had the moral courage and rhetorical skill to warn the nation about Romney and his campaign.
In realizing that Gingrich successfully took on Romney and also trigged Ron Paul’s decline with a CNN Wolf Blitzer interview about the racially poisonous views expressed in the Texas Congressman’s newsletters, voters may begin to realize they have found the one candidate who could do the same to Obama in the fall.
In many ways it was reminiscent of Gingrich’s challenge to Democrats in 1994 – pundits’ incredulity followed by ridicule followed by an unpredictable victory at the ballot box and the first Republican House majority in four decades.
But if Gingrich emerges with a moral authority from the race thus far, Gingrich’s “electability” is being helped in other ways. Besides a reputation as substantive and well versed in the issues – one he advanced last weekend at his CPAC speech with its emphasis on an economic plan that with its flat tax, zero capital gains tax and strong currency position has won the support of supply-siders like Reaganomics architect Arthur Laffer — media reports are noting that the traveling press not only finds Gingrich the most accessible and interesting of the candidates but the most likable.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member