Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich not only believes Donald Trump could be the Republican Party’s nominee, he says the New York billionaire may have a legitimate chance at the presidency.
The veteran politician, who ran his own presidential campaign in 2012, joined ABC’s “This Week” over the weekend and told host Martha Raddatz that Trump’s detractors are underestimating the billionaire’s potential.
“Could he be the nominee?” Raddatz asked Gingrich on Sunday.
“Absolutely,” he responded. “I think he could also be the president.”
According to the former Republican leader, Trump’s candidacy is unlikely to “hurt the Republican Party big-time,” and his lead over the GOP field in several key battleground states has increased the legitimacy of his campaign.
“First of all, if you’re ahead everywhere and your lead is increasing, as it is in Iowa among Republicans, we could be surprised,” Gingrich said.
Gingrich’s latest remarks on Trump come just months after the former speaker reportedly told grassroots activists at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that the next GOP nominee is likely to be a governor.
Nine former or current governors are currently vying for the party’s nomination, including Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal, John Kasich, Scott Walker, Rick Perry, George Pataki, Mike Huckabee, Jim Gilmore and Jeb Bush. Gingrich previously predicted that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would be “one of the top contenders” in the current election cycle.
According to a Monmouth University poll released Monday, Trump is now tied at 23 percent support among likely Republican voters in Iowa with retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson. It is the first time the bombastic businessman has faced significant competition in the early primary state since taking the lead over Walker in early August.
