Can Newt Gingrich Beat Barack Obama?
A recent Iowa poll puts former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich at the top of the GOP presidential field, meaning that his nomination and a resulting 2012 Obama-Gingrich matchup is increasingly possible. Gingrich himself claims electability as one of his strong suits. “I don’t claim to be the perfect candidate, I just claim to be a lot more conservative than Mitt Romney and a lot more electable than anybody else,” he has said. He is the latest of a string of GOP candidates to excite the conservative base in a way that perennial frontrunner former Gov. Mitt Romney has failed to do. Many worry however, that if nominated, Gingrich would be unable to woo the votes of moderates in the general election that he would need to ultimately win the presidency. Here’s is the Debate Club’s take on whether Newt Gingrich can beat Barack Obama.
The Arguments
No — Newt Gingrich lacks the credibility to peel voters away from Obama
ALICIA MENENDEZ, Senior Adviser at NDN Comment (13)
No — A Newt Gingrich GOP nomination is Obama's best hope for 2012
LARA BROWN, Professor at Villanova University Comment (12)
No — Though he might get the GOP nomination, the general electorate will not tolerate Gingrich's hypocrisy
KRYSTAL BALL, Former Democratic Nominee for Congress Comment
Yes — Obama is vulnerable, but Gingrich will have to present a new vision for America to win
DOUGLAS SCHOEN, Democratic Campaign Consultant Comment (2)
Yes — History shows that 2012 will be a great year for Republicans
JUDSON PHILLIPS, Founder of Tea Party Nation Comment (16)
No — Republicans are doomed to make the same mistakes the Democrats made in 2004
JAMAL SIMMONS, Principal at The Raben Group Comment
