CHARLESTON, S.C. — Former House speaker Newt Gingrich scored an easy victory Saturday in the South Carolina primary, blowing a hole in Mitt Romney’s aura of inevitability.
The 12-point win represented a swift and extraordinary turnaround in Gingrich’s fortunes — thanks largely to strong performances in two debates. In those forums, he issued a stirring appeal to the state’s strident conservatism, convinced its voters he would be a formidable opponent against President Obama and threw Romney off his stride.
He also peppered his speech with dismissive references to “elites” in the media and in Washington and New York — a sign that he intends to continue the truculently populist tone that resonated with voters in South Carolina.
After disappointing distant finishes in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, Gingrich had limped into South Carolina more than 10 points down in most polls. So battered was his candidacy that Gingrich himself had conceded that his campaign might be over if he failed to turn in a strong performance.
Romney has been organizing in those states for months. Gingrich is far behind in doing so, and failed to even make the ballot in Missouri.
Beyond his organization, Romney has other advantages in the February contests. As a presidential candidate in 2008, he won Nevada easily with more than 50 percent of the vote. He grew up in Michigan, where his father, George, was a governor and auto executive.
Four of the states - Nevada, Maine, Colorado and Minnesota - are caucus states where get-out-the-vote campaign organizations can be critical.
"Momentum and excitement only take you so far," said Saul Anuzis, former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.
"Gingrich's biggest challenge going forward is his record, but he also has an organizational challenge in that he has not put together a national campaign," he said.
In claiming victory late Saturday, Gingrich acknowledged as much.
The 12-point win represented a swift and extraordinary turnaround in Gingrich’s fortunes — thanks largely to strong performances in two debates. In those forums, he issued a stirring appeal to the state’s strident conservatism, convinced its voters he would be a formidable opponent against President Obama and threw Romney off his stride.
He also peppered his speech with dismissive references to “elites” in the media and in Washington and New York — a sign that he intends to continue the truculently populist tone that resonated with voters in South Carolina.
After disappointing distant finishes in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, Gingrich had limped into South Carolina more than 10 points down in most polls. So battered was his candidacy that Gingrich himself had conceded that his campaign might be over if he failed to turn in a strong performance.
Romney has been organizing in those states for months. Gingrich is far behind in doing so, and failed to even make the ballot in Missouri.
Beyond his organization, Romney has other advantages in the February contests. As a presidential candidate in 2008, he won Nevada easily with more than 50 percent of the vote. He grew up in Michigan, where his father, George, was a governor and auto executive.
Four of the states - Nevada, Maine, Colorado and Minnesota - are caucus states where get-out-the-vote campaign organizations can be critical.
"Momentum and excitement only take you so far," said Saul Anuzis, former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.
"Gingrich's biggest challenge going forward is his record, but he also has an organizational challenge in that he has not put together a national campaign," he said.
In claiming victory late Saturday, Gingrich acknowledged as much.
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