Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, said Thursday that he believes a victory in South Carolina could catapult him to the front of the race for the Republican nomination.
“If I win South Carolina, I think I will become the Republican nominee,” the Georgia Republican told an audience of supporters on Thursday.
Mr. Gingrich, who has come pressure from some in his own party, spent Thursday pulling back his public attacks on front-runner Mitt Romney, telling supporters that Republican voters will ultimately have to unite around the 2012 nominee. Speaking Thursday, the often-combative Gingrich made no references to Mr. Romney, nor did he repeat his criticism of the former Massachusetts governor’s record as a venture capitalist.
Polls continue to show the former House speaker trailing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, whom many predict with eventually capture the Republican nomination. That said, recent polls show support for Mr. Romnay waning as his Republican opponents have increased their criticism of his record at the venture capital firm of Bain Capital.
The former House speaker has struggled in recent contests, failing to capture a majority in Iowa and New Hampshire. Poor showings in early primary states, combined with his vicious attacks on his Republican opponents, have stirred the ire of Republicans.
In an appearance on Fox News on Thursday, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani slammed Mr. Gingrich’s approach to campaigning, saying he had crossed the line.
“I’m outraged about what [Mr. Gingrich] is doing,” Mr. Giuliani said. “I’m going to say it’s ignorant, dumb. It is building something we should be fighting in America: ignorance of the American economic system. Playing on the dumbest, most ridiculous ideas about how you grow jobs.”
From South Carolina, Mr. Gingrich was headed to Florida to raise money and open a campaign headquarters.
