Romney admits Gingrich ‘front-runner’ for 2012 White House race

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Washington, Dec 13(ANI): Republican White House 2012 contender Mitt Romney has admitted that former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich is the front-runner for the race and could pose a significant threat to him till the California primary on June 5.

Romney said he believed he “would be more successful in posting up against Barack Obama” than Gingrich, but said Gingrich could likely beat Obama.

Romney said the presidential nomination “is not going to be decided in just a couple of contests” and “could go for months and months.”

“You see how dramatically the numbers have moved and how quickly they have over the last year? It’s a very fluid electorate. I think I’ll get the nomination. I can’t predict when. … I’ve got – what? – five or six more months to go to make that a reality,” Politico quoted Romney, as saying.

He tried to strengthen his case for his bid by saying that his ‘background and experience as a leader’ is the need of the hour for the country.

Though Gingrich has maintained a double-digit lead in three of the four early states, Romney ruled out that he would be an effective leader.

“I just don’t think he will be as effective in leading the country or in defeating President Obama as I would be. … [O]f the people on the stage, any one of them would be better … than our current president. … And so, I’m not going to say outrageous things that can be used to hang them down the road if they happen to become the nominee,” Romney added.

According to Romney’s staff, he is pursuing a two-track strategy – trying to neutralize Gingrich while continuing to target Obama for the 2012 bid. (ANI)