The Washington Post just reported that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign imploded this afternoon, with virtually his entire senior staff leaving en masse. The newspaper cited multiple sources familiar with the moves.
“When the campaign and the candidate disagree on the path, they’ve got to part ways,” said Rick Tyler a longtime Gingrich spokesman who was among those who left the campaign today.
Tyler as well as Rob Johnson, Gingrich’s campaign manager, Dave Carney and Katon Dawson, senior strategists to the effort, and media consultant Sam Dawson have all stepped aside. Much of his early state operation was also headed for the exits, according to a one senior campaign source.
Several sources said the mass resignation came at a meeting Thursday in Gingrich’s Washington office.
Among the issues was the 2-week vacation that Gingrich and his wife, Callista, insisted upon taking against the advice of his top political staff. Coming as it did after one of the most diastrous campaign launches in recent memory, it raised questions as to whether Gingrich would be willing to “commit time to the grassroots,” said Tyler.
Gingrich had returned earlier this week and visited New Hampshire but remained largely off the campaign trail.
Carney and Johnson are longtime aides to Texas Gov. Rick Perry who has said in recent days that he is contemplating a run for president himself in 20120. The Carney and Johnson resignations will fuel speculation that Perry is moving toward the race.
It’s not clear how — or whether — Gingrich will remain in the race.
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