GREENVILLE, S.C. — A key player in Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign acknowledged that it’s crunch time for the former House speaker, telling The Daily Caller that “we need to win” South Carolina’s Saturday primary.
“We’ve been right there waiting to emerge as the bold Reagan conservative,” Kellen Giuda, Gingrich’s national coalitions director said from his office in the campaign’s state headquarters. “I think it’s clear that Newt is the strongest leader. He’s the most conservative — an [American Conservative Union] rating of 90 percent over his lifetime, so this is really good for us.”
“We feel like this is a break-out moment,” Giuda said.
Gingrich indeed may be breaking out in the Palmetto State. Three polls released Wednesday — by Public Policy Polling, Insider Advantage and Rasmussen Reports — showed Gingrich with a slim lead on Romney. Those results were released before Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced his decision to suspend his campaign and back Gingrich.
Giuda told TheDC that former Perry supporters had been calling and dropping by the office all day, asking for signs and other Newt gear. By mid-afternoon, all the signs had been snatched up, he said.
Nationally, he added, many business and faith leaders who were backing Perry have asked to join the Gingrich campaign.