Newt Gingrich is dramatically scaling back his campaign for president — but staff insist he’s staying in the race until the bitter end.
Politico’s Mike Allen has the story:
[Communications Director Joe] DeSantis said the former Speaker will continue to visit states with primaries, but will have a less intense campaign schedule. DeSantis promised that the campaign will be “more positive and ideas-focused,” eschewing attacks on Republican rivals. The aide said the campaign will be more digital, focusing on low-cost communications tools, including informational videos, social media and the web.
“About a dozen staff members” will be leaving the Gingrich campaign, Allen reports. But Gingrich, who’s only won two states and is lagging very far behind both Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in the polls, plans to stay in until the GOP convention in Tampa.
“Newt 2012 is transitioning into an organization appropriate for winning a big choice convention. This big choice convention phase will be focused on two goals,” DeSantis told Allen. “1. Affecting the national dialogue to show that Gingrich is the most capable of defeating Obama, by leading on issues that put the president on defense – like Newt’s $2.50 Gas Plan; and 2. A parallel communications strategy directly to the delegates.”
Read Allen’s story here.
