Conservative pollster Scott Rasmussen jabbed at former House Speaker and 2012 Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich Thursday night, saying he had no shot whatsoever at the GOP nomination.
“He is not going to be the nominee,” Rasmussen said of Gingrich to political commentator and radio talk show host Rick Amato. “He was never a serious chance to win the nomination, barring an unusual set of circumstances. After this opening week of his campaign, I think any prospect of that [Gingrich winning] is now gone.”
Rasmussen told Amato the reason he’s certain Gingrich doesn’t have a shot is because he thinks the former Speaker “lacks message discipline” which Rasmussen said, “has been a challenge for the Speaker for a long, long time.”
“He has a propensity to say the wrong thing at the wrong time,” Rasmussen said. “This week, he stepped all over his message.”
Rasmussen’s comments come after Gingrich has faced heavy heat from conservatives for criticisms he’s made of House Finance Committee chairman Paul Ryan’s budget plan. Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, was the latest to come out against Gingrich before Rasmussen, and told the former Speaker to “keep his mouth shut,” until he comes up with his own plan.