Those core supporters of the former speaker bridle at the suggestion — unsubtle from Romney’s camp, ubiquitous in the mainstream media — that Gingrich should and will soon drop out.

“Hell no,” said Oscar Nugent, 66, a financial planner from Slidell, La. who gave $2,175 to Gingrich, when asked if he should step aside. “Because he has an investment in the people — people like me and probably there were 100,000-plus others like me that thought enough of his ideas to send him some of our heard earned nondeductible money,” he added.

“I still believe in the fight, and I don’t give up easily either,” he said.

Dozens of calls to Gingrich’s late, small donors produced similar answers.

“Why should he drop out?” asked Earl Carson, 72, of Monroe, Ga. “Giving money to him is money well spent,” said Jess Ayers, 74, of Westwood, Cal. William Stotz, 84, of Valrico, Fl., cheered on Gingrich, encouraging him to “Go all the way.”

“There’s not a man alive knows who’s gonna win,” Stotz added.