Gingrich hedges on winning Georgia, campaigns with Cain

Newt Gingrich hedged whether he could win his old home state on Super Tuesday as he campaigned through the vote-rich Atlanta area with Herman Cain at his side amid incursions from Mitt Romney and a surging Rick Santorum.

After speaking at a Republican precinct meeting at South Forsyth High School in Cumming Saturday, the former Georgia congressman pointed to the endorsement from Cain and the large, enthusiastic crowds that have met him here, saying “I think we will carry Georgia.”

But he quickly added this about the fluidity of the race: “Given the nature of this campaign, anybody who thinks that Romney can count on Michigan or Santorum can count on Pennsylvania or I can count on Georgia doesn’t understand how wild this campaign is… There are no slam dunk states.”

On the second day of his two-day swing through Georgia, Gingrich campaigned on gun rights, religious freedom and bringing gas prices down to $2.50 a gallon. The Georgia average is now $3.54 for a regular gallon of gas, according to AAA.

“I think $2.50 a gallon gasoline and trucks big enough to carry a gun rack fits Georgia just about perfectly and I am happy to campaign here on that,” he said. Gingrich also repeatedly said the Obama administration has embraced the electric Chevrolet Volt, joking: "You cannot put a gun rack in a Chevy Volt."

After a campaign stop at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Gingrich talked about the possibility of Cain serving in his cabinet. Cain, a McDonough businessman and former presidential hopeful, appeared by the former U.S. House speaker’s side at each of his stops Saturday, praising his proposals to restore the nation’s economy and boost its energy production.

“My expectation is that he would have -- both from his management background and from his interest in jobs, the economy and taxes -- a very wide impact in terms of bringing new talent, new ideas, new approaches to government,” Gingrich said of Cain.

Cain said he did not ask Gingrich for a cabinet position in exchange for his endorsement and that Gingrich didn’t offer anything in return for his support.

“My ideal job with a Speaker Newt Gingrich as president of the United States is to be a senior adviser not in charge of anything,” Cain said.

Hundreds of energetic supporters greeted Gingrich, his daughters and his grandchildren at his stops across the Atlanta area Saturday, including at rally in Cobb County where they packed a hotel ballroom.

Gingrich was preparing to return home to Northern Virginia Saturday evening so he and his wife, Callista, could attend Mass Sunday. Gingrich is also expected to appear on Fox News Sunday before heading to Oklahoma for campaign stops Monday and Tuesday.

Political observers say Georgia could be a make or break state for Gingrich, who has experienced a string of recent setbacks, including losses in numerous state primaries and caucuses and the cancellation of the March 1 Republican presidential debate. Gingrich’s campaign has been fueled by his strong debate performances.

With 76 delegates at stake in Georgia, the Peach State represents the biggest prize out of the 10 states that will vote on March 6. Gingrich is banking on his deep ties in Georgia. Gingrich graduated from high school in Columbus and from Emory University in Atlanta before teaching history at West Georgia College. He represented Georgia in Congress for 20 years.

A recent poll conducted for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution shows Gingrich leading the pack in Georgia with 43 percent of likely primary voters. Romney was second followed by Santorum and then Texas Congressman Ron Paul. However, that Mason-Dixon Polling and Research survey, conducted Feb. 6 through Feb. 8, likely does not reflect the surge Santorum enjoyed after winning Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri.

In an interview this week, Gov. Nathan Deal, Gingrich’s state campaign chairman, predicted Gingrich will win the state. He said he could not campaign with Gingrich this weekend because of a scheduling conflict but would appear with him before Super Tuesday.

“He has great conservative credentials, not just in terms of saying things but in delivering them,” Deal said. “I am very hopeful that he will win Georgia. I think that he will.”

At the same time, Gingrich’s opponents are not ceding Georgia. Romney was scheduled to campaign in Utah Saturday. But he appeared at a rally in Atlanta last week. And a super PAC supporting the former Massachusetts governor has purchased nearly $1 million worth of television advertising time in Georgia for spots to run the final two weeks of the campaign, beginning Tuesday.

Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, is scheduled to attend a rally at First Redeemer Church in Cumming Sunday evening. Tim Echols, who has endorsed Santorum and is chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission, said Gingrich has “a tremendous amount to lose here. He needs to win Georgia and win it substantially because this is his home state.”

“A couple of weeks ago I didn’t think that Santorum would even have a chance here in Georgia to tell you the truth,” Echols said in an interview this week. “With him winning last week in those three states and his surge and the momentum he seems to be getting I think it is changing everything. The national campaign now sees Georgia in play.”

David Holmes, a banker from East Cobb, said he initially supported Cain for president. But he said hearing Gingrich speak at the rally in Cobb about energy independence and balancing the budget helped strengthen his support for him. He predicted Gingrich would win Georgia but said he is unsure whether he’ll secure the GOP nomination.

“I am a little skeptical,” he said as his teenage daughter showed off a campaign button with autographs from Cain and Gingrich. “From my personal standpoint, I don’t mind the kind of bold statements he makes, which sometimes are not politically correct. I think he is throwing ideas out there… Being a native southerner, being down here, I don’t know how that is going to play in other parts of the country.”

Nancy Moore, a homemaker and exercise instructor from Kennesaw who attended Gingrich’s rally, said she also initially supported Cain and regrets that he is no longer in the race. She said she likes Gingrich’s views on taxes and foreign policy. And she predicted he would win Georgia but added it is too early tell about the Republican nomination.