Politics

As staffers resign, Gingrich has ‘nothing to say’

C.J. Ciaramella Contributor
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Numerous members of Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich’s campaign resigned today, including key managers and the candidate’s entire Iowa campaign team.

Gingrich press spokesman Rick Tyler and campaign manager Rob Johnson have resigned, along with strategists and aides in key early primary states. Other sources are reporting that Dave Carney, Gingrich’s top New Hampshire aide, and Sam Dawson have also resigned.

One of Gingrich’s national campaign co-chairs, Former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, announced today that he is moving Tim Pawlenty’s campaign as well. Meanwhile, The Des Moines Register reported that all six of Gingrich’s remaining paid staff in Iowa resigned today, too.

Reached by phone by Daily Caller reporter Jonathan Strong, Gingrich said, “I have nothing to say.”

Shortly after, though, Gingrich made an announcement via his Facebook wall: “I am committed to running the substantive, solutions-oriented campaign I set out to run earlier this spring. The campaign begins anew Sunday in Los Angeles.”

The move could signal big moves for Texas Governor Rick Perry. Carney was a consultant on Perry’s 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010 election campaigns, and Johnson was Perry’s campaign manager during his 2010 re-election campaign.

Gingrich’s campaign has floundered from the beginning. He drew sharp criticism for calling Paul Ryan’s budget plan “radical” and “right-wing social engineering.” Then his campaign was hit by revelations that he and his wife had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars at Tiffany & Co. Presumably for the wife.

With his campaign struggling, Gingrich’s did the only reasonable thing for a serious presidential candidate in his situation to do: take a two-week Mediterranean cruise.

Staff grew so frustrated that they confronted him when he returned. A Republican source told The Daily Caller that Gingrich’s staff presented the presidential candidate with list of ultimatums and threatened to quit if the list wasn’t adopted.

Among the list of demands were improved communications discipline and more focus on campaigning in key states.

Gingrich refused to heed the demands, resulting in today’s mass departure.

Daily Caller reporter Alex Pappas contributed to this article.