Newt Gingrich, who had previously endorsed moderate Republican Dede Scozzafava in the NY-23 special election, now says he is “deeply upset” about her endorsement of Democrat Bill Owens after she withdrew from the race.
“How could she have accepted all that support?” said Gingrich, also adding: “I’m very, very let down because she told everybody she was a Republican, and she said she was a loyal Republican.”
Gingrich had caught a lot of criticism on the right for supporting Scozzafava, and arguing that the Republican Party needs to have room for moderates. Now that Scozzafava has quit the race and endorsed the Democrat, due to campaign by the right to push her out in favor of Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, Gingrich will certainly have to work hard to undo the damage from his having bet on the wrong horse.