MESA, Ariz. — With just minutes to go before the last Republican debate, a spokesman for Newt Gingrich says the former House speaker will not make any effort to compete in the critical Michigan primary next Tuesday.
“Rick Santorum is going to win the state of Michigan,” Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond told reporters shortly before the debate. The Gingrich campaign sees a Santorum victory over Romney in Michigan as a critical step in damaging the Romney effort, and therefore ultimately a good thing for Gingrich. “Whatever means we can use that are to our advantage to get rid of Mitt Romney, if that means Rick Santorum is the one who exposes him as a flawed candidate, we’re happy to have that happen,” Hammond said.
If there is a Santorum victory in Michigan, Hammond added, “Mitt Romney has to show up the day after Michigan and explain why he can’t win his home state…We will have a shift in the media narrative when people all of a sudden realize that Mitt Romney really isn’t the inevitable nominee.”
Hammond was asked whether Gingrich would do anything to help Santorum win Michigan. No, Hammond said, Gingrich would not actively help Santorum. Instead, Hammond said Gingrich will continue to work in states that hold primaries and caucuses on Super Tuesday and afterward.
