Gingrich lays off staff, refocuses campaign
Washington (CNN) - Newt Gingrich has replaced his campaign manager and is laying off one-third of his staff, but has vowed to continue his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, a spokesman confirms to CNN.
"The campaign is being redesigned to make it convention ready," spokesman R.C. Hammond said. "Speaker Gingrich is committed to going all the way to Tampa."
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Michael Krull, who took over as campaign manager in June 2011, is leaving. Krull is being replaced by longtime Gingrich aide Vince Haley.
Hammond described Krull's departure as amicable.
"He should be applauded for the role he played," Hammond said. Krull remained with the campaign, as did Hammond, when many of Gingrich's staffers, including his senior leadership team, quit last summer.
News of the Gingrich campaign shakeup was first reported by Politico.
Hammond said the campaign will spend the coming months leading up to the Republican National Convention trying to convince Republicans - specifically delegates - that the former House speaker is the best choice to be the GOP nominee. In doing so, the campaign will refocus its strategy.
"We are going to invest in online, low-cost communications," Hammond said. "In many ways we will be talking directly to the delegates."
"The only way to beat Barack Obama is to have a distinct choice," Hammond said. "Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum will lose to Barack Obama."
Gingrich communications director Joe DeSantis characterized the campaign changes as reorganization and a refocusing of the campaign.
DeSantis said a Gingrich campaign event scheduled for Wednesday at Georgetown University in Washington would proceed as planned, as would events slated for later this week in Maryland and Wisconsin.
Fellow candidate Rick Santorum reacted to the news of Gingrich’s campaign shakeup at a rally in Wisconsin.
“One of the things I was told very early on in presidential politics is you're running for president as long as somebody hangs in,” Santorum said. “And so I can certainly understand that. I don't know what his plans are, as I said before. We're going to run our race irrespective of who's in and who's out. I think what we're seeing is the race is clearly becoming a two-person race.”
Santorum added he thought Gingrich was “a good man” and a friend.
“I just wish him the best whatever he decides to do,” Santorum said.
CNN estimates Gingrich has 134 delegates, well behind front-runner Mitt Romney, who is estimated to have won 559 delegates, and Santorum, who has 262. A candidate needs 1,144 delegates to secure the GOP nomination.
In a CNN/ORC International Poll released Tuesday, six out of 10 Republicans said Gingrich should drop out of the race, with 39% saying Gingrich should not end his bid. A majority of Republicans questioned in the survey said their party's presidential nomination should be determined by the primaries and caucuses rather than at the GOP convention in Tampa, Florida.
CNN’s Shawna Shepherd and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
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Wow. Lay off 1/3rd of your staff because of your failure as a leader. True republican. Let me guess 2 weeks severance and cobra health insurance.... Amazing.
"tic-toc","tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc""tic-toc"...Coming to a future near your!! Roll it..Newt Gingrich has withdrawn his support for the republican 2012 presidential nomination and is bowing out of the highly contested race..More Right after these commercials!
Oh, poor silly stupid Newt. Your flailing is so overt I'm embarrassed for you.
Coming to a future near you!! CNN: Roll it..Newt Gingrich has withdrawn his support for the republican 2012 presidential nomination and is bowing out of the highly contested race..More Right after these commercials!
i think he really was happy running for president. maybe that was his life dream.
some people say your soul pushes you toward something. i think his soul really did push toward [running for president] from all that other people said about him.
it's not your staff Gingrich, it's you
just roll over please, you will never be nominated
"A man has to know his limitations" Dirty Harry.
Newt is hanging on for the money and the hope people will give him money. Much like Herman Cain and Perry continued to lie for the money. Ron Paul is just in the race to help his idiot son Senator Rand Paul to get a free paying appointment. Senator Paul is the laughing stock of the Senate and now his voters know he's as dumb as a door knob. Senator Paul is doing his best to pay back the favors he owes the Oil companies that funded his campaign.
May be he can go for an Alaska vacation. Somebody tell him where Sarah Palin is.
People are already losing their jobs because of this guy. Why would anyone vote for a guy who can't even keep a volunteer's job safe? Better yet, why would anyone vote for a guy named Newt?
He surely needs to refocus. He has been dull, very dull.
Wow Newt! If you can't even find ways to keep your staff's job who are you going to employ millions of Americans? Isn't this the second time you've laid people off?
I agree with Gingrich. Neither Romney nor Santorum can beat Obama. Romney cannot beat Obama because he is a cold technocrat who does not appeal to the 99%. Santorum cannot get elected President by the social conservative vote. Gingrich would have the best chance because he can debate Obama. He has the track record and America is ready for someone that can take on the establishment. It will be a big task because the establishment has the media on its side, but Americans are getting ever more fed up with the media,and Gingrich can work up a crowd.
Newt wants a big pay day from Mitt Romney ... ie. he wants to be either VP or Secretary
But it will not matter at all! Because Obama got Osama!
Newt gingrich cleaning house on his campaign by geting rid of staff
Quote: "The campaign is being redesigned to make it convention ready." No. The campaign is being redesigned because billionaire Sheldon Adelson has stopped shaking the money tree!
Yup, that's the reason he's not getting the delegates. Actually, I think the only reason he's still campaigning is that he can stand to make a few extra bucks. The less staffers he has to pay, the more money in his pocket. How about you just bow out already Newt, and please take Santorum with you.
Arn't republicans job creators?
Newt, Romney, & Santorum, the very Best the GOP has to offer.
They epitomize the republican mindset: big business, the 1%, ready to attack Iran, intolerant, religious superiority, fear mongrels, hypocritical, xenophobic, and clueless.
This guy gingrich is selfish and he is going to lose. he might as well quit now.
the man needs to take the hint: he's lost in nearly EVERY primary , exc ept Georgia. Continuing to campaign will only serve to divide the voter impact, nourish the Dems' mistaken bel;ief they will prevail, and since he did not keep his eary vow to "keep it clean and no personal attacks" against his fellow Repubs, he's a liar and is proving he will do anything to achiev is goal. . IMHO, all politicians shade the truthk some just do itmore blatantly and arrogantly than others.
Frankly I've seen more than enough of that trait over the past 3 yrs, I would like a Repub candidate with the least PROVABLE black marks/lies/dirty linen against him.
MR. Gingrich, that AIN'T you! you have a well documented history of lying AND CHEATING. Go Home, Sit Down and Shut UP.
Consistent theme. Cut the size of the government, cut the size of the campaign. He put his own campaign in a losing position. And his ideas will put the country in a losing position.
Come on folks, he's quit on 2 previous marriages what makes you think he won't quit on you too.
And Gingrich will lose to Romney. Romney 2012!