Former Georgia Congressman and House Speaker Newt Gingrich had expressed interest in running for the Republican nomination, and there was even a draft movement for him to enter. Had he ran, would he have won the nomination? Who might he have selected as his vice presidential nominee? How does he do in the general election against Obama? (For added interest, how would a Hillary Clinton Vs. Newt Gingrich race look?). Would he run again in 2012, or would a different anti-Romney candidate be elevated?
 
I can't Ginrich winning in 2008. In that year any Republican candidate would had been very difficult to win if then there is not Democrat president.
 
He does worse than McCain did, hell he does worse than Romney would've if he emerged as the 2008 Republican Nominee.
 
N. Leroy Gingrich, Defender of the Moon, Definer of Civilization's Rules and Leader (Perhaps) of The Civilizing Forces?

He could get the nomination, sure. Winning? That’s a touch tougher and the economic collapse certainly needs to be delayed.

Even without the collapse I think he loses. Newt has too much baggage from his personal life and from his time as Speaker of the House and McCain himself, if I remember correctly, said after the fact that even without the crisis, he still would've lost the election, though it would've been a closer race.
 
I don't see the path for him in the primary. GOP primary voters react to the issues of the recent past and the surge benefitted McCain, while Gingrich's best claim would be 90s economic nostalgia, something that would be a lot easier if Hillary Clinton wasn't also running for President. Also, keep in mind that unlike in 2012, Gingrich was still a bit fresher in primary voters minds in 2008, and the way that his speakership ended still was a bit raw. He was the one who largely botched the '98 midterms.

In terms of a path to the convention, he'd have to cleanly sweep the South, which would be hard with Huckabee splitting the vote.
 
Hillary Clinton could be the nominee and then president just from the butterflies of him running, especially if he gets the nomination.
 
I think the "compassionate conservatives" were still strong enough to stop Gingrich (or any "tea party" candidate). Palin, TARP, and Obamacare hadn't happened yet.
 
Hillary Clinton could be the nominee and then president just from the butterflies of him running, especially if he gets the nomination.
The problem is, Hillary was derailed very early in Iowa by the presence of John Edwards in the field. Obama took the young and progressive vote; Edwards took the union vote. Had Edwards' improprieties been exposed in 2008, we would have seen a Hillary/Obama ticket. I remember the signs in Iowa. "Hillary Clinton for President" and "Obama '08," a clear indication that Barack Obama would have settled for VP.
 
The problem is, Hillary was derailed very early in Iowa by the presence of John Edwards in the field. Obama took the young and progressive vote; Edwards took the union vote. Had Edwards' improprieties been exposed in 2008, we would have seen a Hillary/Obama ticket. I remember the signs in Iowa. "Hillary Clinton for President" and "Obama '08," a clear indication that Barack Obama would have settled for VP.
I would more imagine Clinton/Bayh with Obama as Attorney General.
 
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