Gingrich surges ahead

A month ago, fans of Newt Gingrich would have been dismissed as a loyal cadre of wishful thinkers. Now, they are becoming the mainstream as Newt Gingrich rockets to the top of the Republican primary.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Newt Gingrich"s experience as House Speaker, his raw intelligence, and the fact that his political and personal past is well documented and understood, makes him the safest bet for Republican primary voters as they cast about for a candidate who can defeat Barack Obama.

Voters are gravitating to Gingrich because he has a proven conservative record, unpleasant surprises are unlikely, and unlike his rivals, he does not make embarrassing statements and political gaffes as the other candidates have done on repeated occasions during their campaigns.
This reality means that Gingrich will be a very real and credible threat to President Obama whose approval ratings continue to remain abysmally low.

Gingrich is finally reaping the rewards of his diligence on the campaign trail as the other candidates have rose and fall in their turn. Romney, who was an early favorite, simply does not seem to possess the charisma and personal ability that many say is needed to defeat Obama. Conversely, Perry turned out to have a little too much personability, and failed to build confidence during the debates.

Cain, who many found charismatic and personable, saw his campaign implode under allegations of inappropriate conduct; and the most recent allegation of a long-term extramarital affair caused him to halt his campaign on Saturday.

Interestingly, behind Gingrich remains Ron Paul whose numbers have improved only slightly throughout the campaign. Paul, is widely thought to be unelectable because his views often conflict with those traditionally held by most Republicans. Still, he has a large devoted following in both Republican and Libertarian circles.

Regardless of all else, it appears that Republican voters may have finally found their candidate in Newt Gingrich. As his polls surge, Gingrich is capitalizing on the growing attention to put his message before an ever-increasing audience of voters. If he is able to maintain his lead, he will win the Republican presidential primary, after which the real work will begin for his campaign.

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