Newt Gingrich will not Seek the White House

Through his spokesman Rick Tyler, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich announced today he will not run for president in 2008, ending a long speculation about his possible candidacy for the GOP presidential nomination.

"It is legally impermissible for him to continue on as chairman of American Solutions for Winning the Future and to explore a campaign for president," said Rick Tyler.

Opening an exploratory committee would force him to relinquish his chairmanship of American Solutions, an organization that he started last year which pays for his travel, a pollster and a fundraiser.

Recently Gingrich has been flirting with the possibility of a run, saying he would be a candidate if his supporters are committed to raising $30 million over the next three weeks.

Comments

[Allan Bartlett]

I was kinda hoping Newt would dive in and dilute the pro war vote some more.

A sad day for America when Newt decided NOT to run. A man of vision and a one-man think-tank is what America needs.

I guess I'll stay home this coming election.

[Bladerunner]

On the one hand Democrats are sorry Newt won't be in the hunt. The image of he and Rudy arguing as to who was a stronger supporter of traditional family values would be priceless.

On the other hand, Democrats realize as much as they like to demonize him, Ginrich gets the need for the GOP to reach beyond the hackneyed pablum the current GOP front runners are churning out to a narrow ideological and ethnic audience that betrays the big tent philosophy of Lee Atwater. The less I see of guys like Newt Ginrich and Mike Huckabee the better.

[Milk Man]

Fred Thompson should send Newt a 'thank you' card. A Gingrich presidential campaign would take away some conservative support from Thompson.