Gingrich surges on eve of key South Carolina vote
Gingrich Close in South Carolina
Gingrich surges on eve of key South Carolina vote
By Olivier Knox (AFP) – Jan 20, 2012
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina — Newt Gingrich surged in the Republican White House race ahead of Saturday’s key South Carolina vote after lambasting the US media for digging into his past marital infidelities.
“Tomorrow’s going to be a very, very important day,” Gingrich said at a packed campaign rally in Orangeburg, adding he was hoping to “win a shockingly big victory tomorrow.”
“With your help and with the help of other good citizens across the state of South Carolina, we are going to take the first big step towards ensuring that a conservative is nominated for president of the United States.”
After a fiery debate late Thursday that saw the former House speaker spar with top rival Mitt Romney, Gingrich was seeking to capitalize on what polls show is increased momentum for his campaign.
With the vote shaping up as a nail-biter, the four remaining candidates made a last-ditch effort to win over
southern conservatives as they chase their party’s nomination to go up against President Barack Obama in November.
At a campaign stop at a children’s hospital, Gingrich told AFP he felt “good” going into the hotly contested primary. When asked if he would score a victory, he said, “I hope so. We’ll see.”
Romney, whose aura of inevitability has eroded in recent days, was reportedly downplaying expectations in the Palmetto state, with one of his senior advisors saying a loss Saturday was not far-fetched.
“Do I think we could lose South Carolina? Sure,” Romney strategist Stuart Stevens told CNN. “I think it’s very competitive,” he said. “The whole race is very fluid.”
Romney, the on-and-off frontrunner, had hoped a convincing win here — after triumphing in New Hampshire and a virtual tie in Iowa — would let him wrap up the nomination.
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