Newt Gingrich Restarts Campaign in L.A. After 16 Senior Staffers Quit
June 12, 2011 — -- Newt Gingrich is gearing up to re-start his presidential campaign tonight in Los Angeles after an explosive week within his campaign's inner circle.
Tonight's foreign policy speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition will be his first since the mass exodus of his senior staff on Thursday, when 16 strategists resigned less than a month after the launch of his campaign.
"We had a fundamental difference of opinion about the direction of the campaign," said Rick Tyler, Gingrich's former spokesman and one of the 16 who quit. He said one of the main issues was "whether Newt's schedule would allow him to spend enough time in the states he needs to win."
While his staff wanted him to engage in more traditional campaign strategies, Gingrich wanted to create what he describes as a citizen-driven effort relying heavily on new media.
Despite the upheaval, Gingrich said he would continue to move forward and that his campaign "begins anew" tonight.
Gingrich shared tonight's prepared remarks with The Associated Press, which reported that he only vaguely references the commotion by vowing to continue to spread his views and messages "no matter what it takes."
The speech includes Gingrich's desire to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and his belief that "both Israel and America are at a dangerous crossroads at which the survival of Israel and the safety of the United States both hang in the balance."
Palestinians argue that moving the embassy to Jerusalem would informally validate Israel's claim to the city. Gingrich argues that Israel has a right to choose its own capital and that Americans should respect that choice, according to the AP.
This campaign's new start will not be an easy one. Gingrich must simultaneously procure a new senior staff and continue to look for financial support from donors who will likely be reluctant to commit to a new and already shaky campaign effort.
Monday is a big day for Gingrich with a Republican debate in New Hampshire and the release of his 24th book, "A Country Like No Other." He will also be screening one of the political documentaries he makes with his wife Callista to tea party supporters in Philadelphia and Georgia this week.
Gingrich is scheduled to head to New Hampshire for the GOP debate Monday night, when he will face off with Republican front-runner Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and others.
