(CNN) – While Mitt Romney's campaign tries to secure Rick Santorum's endorsement, Newt Gingrich said Saturday that he also wants the former Republican presidential candidate's support.
"He has to do what he thinks is right for his family, and if he has campaign debt, what he has to do to help pay his campaign debt. I'm not going to put any pressure on Rick, but I'd love his endorsement," Gingrich told reporters at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.
– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
He added the two talked briefly on Friday, though did not give any details from their discussion.
"We had a nice chat," he said.
Gingrich was quick earlier in the week to go after Santorum's backers shortly after the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania suspended his campaign Tuesday. In a statement, Gingrich urged Santorum supporters to join his side and donate to his campaign.
Santorum has not yet made his pick, but members of his campaign told CNN he will support Romney.
While Gingrich maintains he'll stay in the race until Romney clinches the nomination, the former House speaker admitted Saturday that his campaign rented out its donor list because it was in need of cash.
"That's a very common reason why people rent things out. We wanted the money," Gingrich said, adding that his campaign also pulled in online donations from 6,000 people this week.
The candidate will travel to a number of states next week, including Delaware and New York, two states that hold primaries on April 24. Despite Romney essentially locking up the GOP nomination this week after Santorum's exit, Gingrich insisted Republican voters still want another option.
"Our scenario is to make the case that if you want to beat Obama, having somebody who can debate him successfully is very, very important," Gingrich said. "I think that's a very healthy competition, and in the next couple of weeks we'll see how it works out."
Also see:
Rubio: 'I'm not going to be the vice president'
Obama talks taxes, Republicans energy in weekly addresses
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Gingrich ran on the premise that he was the person who could introduce reality to American politics. Really? The reality he needs to face is the Koch brothers picked their lap-dog and it isn't him. His sugar daddy can't compete with the Kochs and the Karl Rove machine of lies and deception.
Headlines: (Santorum on Gingrich's endorsement: "I don't think so.")
In my opinion, Gingrich is effectively out of the race anyway!
Gingrich is starting to become an annoyance.
Gingrich... what a loon.
Endorsement for what????? He's already out of the presidential race!!!!!!!THIS MAN IS A LOSER!!!!!
The nightmare, just keeps on going. Apparently this clown has no shame.
Gingrich has been reduced to a floating, bloated corpse. Even Santorum knows enough to ignore his pleas.
"In To Win" moneybomb just started. donate here: ronpaul2012(dot)com
If Santorum backed gingrich that would certinly put the cat among the pidgeons and upset the party hierarchy.
Regards,
Hodgson.
Man, you have to admire his persistence. Not his ideas, marital fidelity, judgment, ego, professional record, consistency, or empathy, but he's persistent.
Time to go away now, Newt. You won't be getting Santorum's endorsement – why would he choose to back someone who has no chance to gain the nomination, nevermind to win in November?
People in Hell want ice water.
Vultures and opossum will feed on each other and anything/ anybody else. G.O.P. Greed over people.no more republicans ever.
Wait. What? Neuter is still running? and ..."his campaign also pulled in online donations from 6,000 people this week." Wow. A whole 6,000 people? Yeah, he's a bit delusional.
Does it really matters, Seriously!!!!!!
As Usual, Gingrich is begging. He must be blind as a bat. All he has to do is Ask Romney if he can be on the ticket. That will be quite a wild card. I would love the two of them on the GOP ticket.
Gingrich is betting again. He must be blind as a bat. All he has to do is ask Romney if he could be his VP. What a wild card ticket!. I would love to see them together.
Gingrich v Obama would make for a very entertaining debate, but it's never gonna happen.
No one is going to support and Elephant, back to zoo with you.
GOBP wingnuts have wanted anybody but Mitt McCain since the start of the primaries. When Lizard quits they can head for the Anybody but Mitt McCain convention. Obama/Biden 2012!
Your excellency, Emperor Newt:
Give him the illuminati handshake, talk about end days, how can he resist?
Ths guy is so delisional. His big fat ego keeps him going. He will NEVER be POTUS. Offer nothing. His only talk is abut beating Obama and the sad thing is HE thinks he can.
Do Americans really want Callista Gingrich — "a woman who was a man's mistress for eight years" — as their First Lady? - Evangelical leader Dr. James Dobson
I say Dr. Dobson makes an excellent point. newt and callista would be EMBARRASSING as the leaders of our great country, thus I doubt Santorum will endorse this morally-lacking man.
All republicans should be thrown out of government in Nov because they have caused to much damage to USA and continue to do so.