PERRY —
Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich admits he made some mistakes when launching his presidential campaign but says it is now on track and he expects to do well in upcoming primaries.
“I had a bad start,” the GOP candidate told The Tifton Gazette on Saturday at the state Republican Fish Fry at the Georgia National Fairgrounds.
“I feel very good about how things are going now,” Gingrich said. “I expect to be in the top three in Iowa; I will be in the top three in New Hampshire; and I will win South Carolina and Florida.”
Shortly after beginning his campaign for the GOP nomination, Gingrich saw several top staffers resign, followed by his top fundraisers. The former Georgia congressman has consistently ranked low in party polls, but he said Saturday that will change by the time folks vote.
“Washington is broken,” Gingrich told the Gazette. He said job generation should be a top priority.
“If we had a president who is a leader, what would they (Congress) be doing right now? We need tax cuts; we need a zero capital gains tax,” Gingrich said. “We need to create American jobs.”
He said Washington is broken because of a lack of leadership and because of the national media’s focus on trivial matters, such as “what a congressman does on Twitter,” the social networking web site.
Gingrich criticized a recent candidate debate when a CNN reporter asked “this or that” questions, such as “Coke or Pepsi?” and “Thin crust or deep dish?” (The latter was asked of former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain of Georgia.)
“A presidential candidate doesn’t have to be as dumb as a reporter,” Gingrich said.
Later, Gingrich addressed the GOP crowd at the fish fry, saying that “Politics is not about a 30-second attack ad; politics is not about clever strategies; it is not about raising the money.”
Instead, he said, “Politics is about the truth and about the future of our country.”
Gingrich told the Georgia party faithful that it was a “hard decision” for him to run for president.
“But I thought it was necessary,” he said. “We need a candidate who can tell the truth better than Democrats can lie.”
Gingrich said he looks forward to facing President Obama in a debate and telling him: “You are the most effective Food Stamp president in American history.”
He said Obama “has killed more jobs and put more people on Food Stamps than any president.”
The candidate also touted his work in Congress while Ronald Reagan was president.
“Under our policies, we had 4.3 percent unemployment vs. Obama’s 9.2 percent unemployment,” he said. “We balanced the budget for four straight years while cutting taxes, not raising them.”
Gingrich said leadership needs to be shown today, not delayed until after the next election.
“This country is in trouble,” he said. “The time to change is now. We can’t afford to wait.”
Gingrich was the only presidential candidate in attendance at the GOP’s annual Fish Fry, begun by former Gov. Sonny Perdue. After the speeches, the state Republican Party had its first statewide straw poll of candidates.
Georgia resident Herman Cain won the poll with 232 votes. U.S. Rep. Ron Paul was only three votes behind at 229. Texas Gov. Rick Perry was third with 180 votes. Gingrich was fourth with 162.
Other candidates and their votes were: Mitt Romney, 51; Rep. Michele Bachmann, 29; Rick Santorum, 4; Jon Huntsman, 3; and Thaddeus McCotter with 1 vote.
Among those attending Saturday’s gathering were former Gov. Perdue; U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson; Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; state Rep. Tony McBrayer, R-Tifton; and Tifton Mayor Jamie Cater.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich meets with Georgia Republicans at the state GOP Fish Fry on Saturday in Perry. State Rep. Tony McBrayer, R-Tifton, is at right. Frank Sayles Jr./The Tifton Gazette
Gingrich: Campaign 'on track'
- Local News
-
-
Tift County Teacher of the Year: It’s an honor to be recognized for what you love to do
This year’s 2013-14 Tift County Teacher of the Year is Omega Elementary School’s very own Shonta Walker. She is also her school’s Teacher of the Year.
-
Risk assessment website to help tomato growers
Tomato yellow leaf curl virus has been a chronic threat to tomato production in South Georgia since the late 1990s. A University of Georgia researcher says eradicating the disease may not be possible, but they continue to help farmers select resistant varieties and manage their risks.
-
TCHS seniors named 2013 Georgia Scholars
Two Tift County High School seniors have been honored as 2013 Georgia Scholars by the Georgia Department of Education. Masoom (Amy) Chainani and Sara Johnson. They are among only 115 seniors in the entire state who have qualified for this honor, which has extremely strict criteria.
-
Downtown Farmer's Market opens Saturday
The Downtown Development Authority has announced the 2013 opening of the Downtown Tifton Farmer’s Market May 18 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The market, located on the platform of the historical Tift Terminal Railway Museum, will feature the new streetscape including enhanced landscaping, new sidewalks for easy accessibility and so much more.
- Police report for May 17
-
Benefit this Saturday
A benefit cookout for Hope Ministries of Ashburn will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Crossroad Choppers located on Highway 82 West, across from LOCOS, in Tifton. Crossroad Choppers is sponsoring this event.
-
Commissioner seeks help for crime watch on southside
Tift County Commissioner Melissa Chevers, with help from the Tift County Sheriff’s Office, is hoping to implement a Neighborhood Crime Watch group on the south side of Tifton.
-
‘Major challenges’ ahead for farm bill, but Ga. Peanut Commission optimistic
Georgia Peanut Commission Chairman Armond Morris spoke at a press conference held at the Commission Thursday afternoon regarding farm bill progress made this week by the U.S. Senate and House Committees on Agriculture. The House Agriculture Committee has approved a five-year, $500 billion farm bill on a 36-10 vote.
-
UGA Tifton Campus funding approved
When Gov. Nathan Deal signed the budget recently passed by the Georgia state legislature, a long-awaited renovation project for the University of Georgia Tifton Campus was finally moved forward.The budget includes $4.7 million for the renovation of the Tift building on the UGA Tifton Campus. The building, which has been vacant for years, will eventually house administrative offices as well as offices for key support personnel and new scientific positions. - Police report for May 16
- More Local News Headlines
-
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
