When Newt Gingrich officially exits the presidential race this afternoon, it will start a new chapter for him as a leading figure in the Republican Party.
But the open question is what kind of impact Gingrich, Rick Santorum or any of the former 2012 GOP presidential contenders who say they'll support Mitt Romney will have on their party's standard bearer as he seeks to defeat President Obama in November.
STORY: Gingrich ready to support Romney
Some political analysts say Gingrich and Santorum, who exited the race after Easter but has yet to formally endorse Romney, will play important roles in Romney's quest for the White House.
"There are still fences to mend," Bob Vander Plaats of The Family Leader, a group of social conservatives, told USA TODAY. "The base is very inspired to defeat Barack Obama but the base is very uninspired to elect Gov. Romney."
Romney is viewed cautiously by some conservatives because of his changing policy positions on issues such as abortion. Vander Plaats, who endorsed Santorum ahead of the Iowa caucuses, said Romney needs to "show respect to the base ... and deliver a consistent conservative message" in not only his policy statements but in his actions, such as his choice of a running mate.
Gingrich still has goodwill within the GOP for shepherding Republicans into power in the U.S. House in the mid-1990s after four decades in the minority. He has said he'd like to continue to bring "big ideas" to the table, something Gingrich has done whether he's been in office or running for president by selling books, giving speeches and writing newsletters.
John Pitney, a government professor at Claremont McKenna College near Los Angeles, said in an interview that the former House speaker won't be playing a "traditional leadership role" in the Republican Party but can be useful to Romney.
"There are few other Republicans who can really excite a Republican audience the way Newt can, despite everything that has happened in the campaign," Pitney said. "He can really get Republican audiences on their feet and motivated, and that's an asset Romney can tap."
Pitney said Romney would do well by tapping some of Gingrich's ideas that could resonate in some quarters. One such idea: Gingrich's call for more brain research.
"Probably a majority of Americans knows someone with Alzheimer's disease," Pitney noted. "So it's a serious public policy issue and Gingrich is saying some sensible things. It would be totally appropriate for Romney to raise the issue -- it won't alienate in the general election."
Santorum is set to meet with Romney on Friday.
His campaign strategist, John Brabender, said in a recent National Review interview that the former Pennsylvania senator wants to discuss with his former rival how Romney expects to "win over conservatives, tea-party voters, and blue-collar Republicans" and "make that part of the party not only part of his campaign, but part of his administration, should he win the election."
0 comments on Can Gingrich, Santorum help Romney win? :
Post a Comment