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FEC Reports: Gingrich Campaign Ended March With More Than $4.3 Million Debt UPDATE: ‘State of Confusion’ Over Gingrich’s North Carolina Schedule

Posted on | April 20, 2012 | 15 Comments

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign finished March with debts of more than $4.3 million, according to his report released to the Federal Election Commisssion today.

Gingrich’s monthly fundraising fell by 35% in March, declining to $1.7 million from the $2.6 million he raised in February, but his campaign’s spending declined more slowly, to $2.0 million from the February total of $2.9 million. Gingrich’s campaign had finished February with about $1.55 million campaign debt, slightly more than its cash on hand total. The campaign’s debt at the end of March, however, exceeded its cash on hand by more than $3 million.

For the second consecutive month, Gingrich raised less than either of the three other Republican candidates, including Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who raised about $2.6 million in March.

Rick Santorum raised slightly more than $5 million in March, but spent about $5.8 million, finishing the month with about $185,000 more in debt ($2 milllion) than cash on hand ($1.8 million). Santorum suspended his campaign April 10, a week after losing the April 3 Wisconsin primary.

Gingrich has said he will continue campaigning, but on Friday the former House speaker suddenly canceled appearances in North Carolina scheduled for next week. His campaign spokesman said Friday that Gingrich will remain in the race and keep his Secret Service protection, which reportedly costs taxpayer more than $40,000 a day. “He’s still a candidate,” Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond told the New York Times. “The nomination is not over.”

Mitt Romney, now the presumptive Republican nominee, raised more than $13 million in March, spent about $10.3 million, and finished the month with about $10 million cash on hand and no debt.

President Obama’s re-election campaign, meanwhile, raised $35 million in March and spent only $15.6 million, ending the month with a total of $104 million cash on hand.

UPDATE: Elicia Dover of ABC News reports a “state of confusion” in the Gingrich campaign about the candidate’s North Carolina schedule:

Two people close to the Gingrich campaign told ABC News they were contacted and told all of Gingrich’s North Carolina stops had been canceled, although R.C. Hammond, communications director for the campaign, said there was a “communication glitch.”
“There was confusion, but we will maintain our North Carolina schedule next week,” Hammond said.
One person close to the campaign said the stops were certainly canceled, then resumed after news reports left looming suspicion, even among his own staff, that Gingrich was suspending his campaign. . . .
Hammond denied the stops were resumed purely to extinguish speculation Gingrich was dropping out.

UPDATE II: Linked by Allahpundit at Hot Air. Thanks.

UPDATE III: R.C. Hammond tells CBS News that Newt sees “a sign that we need to keep scrapping, keep fighting.” CBS notes that Gingrich’s “Winning Our Future” super-PAC got its last $5 million check from casino mogul Sheldon Adelson on March 21, three days before the Louisiana primary, where Gingrich placed a distant third.

UPDATE IV: Alex Moe of NBC News reports that Gingrich has been spending most of his time in Delaware, which holds its primary Tuesday, and quotes “a source close to the Gingrich campaign” as saying: “Tuesday is a big day. … Newt is just waiting to see what happens on Tuesday.”

What will happen Tuesday is, Newt will lose.

By the way, Newt’s campaign was the last to file its FEC report Friday. Ron Paul’s report was posted about 12:30 p.m., Mitt Romney’s about 2:30 p.m., and Rick Santorum about 4:45 p.m. The Gingrich campaign’s report didn’t go online until after 8 p.m., which almost guaranteed that it wouldn’t be reported in Saturday’s papers.

UPDATE V: There is probably some kind of literary metaphor in this report from ABC News:

The campaign’s list of debts and obligations is long, but Gingrich owes the most money to Moby Dick Airways Ltd., a private charter company based in Sterling, Virginia.

“Call me Ishmael.”

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Category: Barack Obama, Election 2012, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul

Comments

  • Evilbloggerlady

    He has cash flow like a Democrat.

  • Evilbloggerlady

    Gingrich that is…you would think he was at Tiffany’s.

  • http://twitter.com/ThatChristyChic Christy Waters

    I think Gingrich should start wearing a Napoleon costume.

  • http://thepagantemple.blogspot.com/ ThePaganTemple

    Newt is another one that should step down. If Santorum doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell (and he doesn’t) then Newt damn sure doesn’t.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/EU5DQWQTTHTPO4A4ZYSL3AAV2U Adjoran

    It is pretty galling that he’s keeping Secret Service protection when he’s going nowhere.

    OTOH, it’s $40,000 a day, so it would take nearly two years to run up the $25 million Obama’s 15 year old daughter cost in Secret Service protection on her spring break – not including hookers, of course.

  • robertstacymccain

    It is pretty galling that he’s keeping Secret Service protection when he’s going nowhere.

    Yeah, it’s hard to imagine a psycho with such low self-esteem as to want to assassinate a guy that’s completely out of the running.

    My guess is the “death threats” against Gingrich are mostly coming from Sheldon Adelson’s heirs: “You bastard! You’re wasting my inheritance!”

  • http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/ Evi L. Bloggerlady

    Insane.  Like she couldn’t go skiing or some other domestic destination that would be safer and frankly more age appropriate.  It is not like she is in college.  WTF?  If the Bush girls did that at her age it would be a big scandal.  

  • http://profiles.google.com/dianna.deeley Dianna Deeley

     Ow! Very good, and a highly witty observation.

    But, still, OW!

  • http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/ Evi L. Bloggerlady

    Oh my.  In hindsight looking at it, that comment could apply to the Obama girls and Newt Gingrich (Newt’s emotional age is that of a nerdy sophomore in high school).  

  • sheryl

    Gosh, I really like Newt, I wonder what happened with his campaign? A weird campaign season for sure. First I gave Newt money, then I gave Rick and Rick some money. Rick Perry dropped out, so I sent another small amount of greenback to Newt. Then I thought Newt would not be able to pull it off so I sent Rick Santorum another small amount of greenback….Anyway, now I am about 200.00 in the hole and none of my original candidates are in it. Call me silly, but I really thought Santorum could pull it off. Oh well, Romney will have my vote in the end even though I despise him (politically) but that is all he gets, my vote, not one penny.

  • http://twitter.com/richard_mcenroe richard mcenroe

     He had $100 million to spend assassinating the character of his GOP opponents.  He’s a smart businessman, I’m sure he kept plenty to face Obama.  Don’t worry about donating.

  • http://twitter.com/richard_mcenroe richard mcenroe

     Save your money for House and Senate candidates you like.

    http://tinyurl.com/nxc6bf
    http://tinyurl.com/cuazju3

  • http://twitter.com/richard_mcenroe richard mcenroe

     Oh, and, especially if you live in a state that hasn’t primaried yet…
    http://tinyurl.com/cjj9fuz

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