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Updated Tuesday, February 7, 2012 12:41 am TWN, By Michael Thurston, AFP

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Gingrich pins hopes on 'Super Tuesday' comeback

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich looked to a “Super Tuesday” vote bonanza in March to rescue his faltering campaign after a second consecutive thumping from rival Mitt Romney.

Gingrich trailed in Nevada by a massive 25-percent margin with almost three-quarters of precincts reporting — a second big loss within five days that raised questions about the viability of his longer-term challenge.

Speaking on two Sunday morning talk shows, the candidate put a brave face on the defeat and insisted things would be different in a month's time when 10 states votes at once and almost a fifth of all delegates are decided.

“Our goal is to get to Super Tuesday, where we're in much more favorable territory,” Gingrich said on NBC's “Meet the Press,” adding that he expects to do much better in conservative southern states like Georgia and Alabama.

Gingrich, a 68-year-old former House speaker, has vowed a long game in the state-by-state voting battle for the Republican nomination, where 2,286 delegates are at stake and a candidate must accumulate 1,144 votes to win.

The Republican establishment hopes the contest will be over well before the August 27-31 convention in Tampa, Florida, avoiding a bitter battle that could hurt the eventual nominee's chances against Democratic President Barack Obama.

Romney's Nevada victory followed a resounding win in Florida, and the multi-millionaire former venture capitalist and Massachusetts governor is now the clear frontrunner to be taking on Obama in November's general election.

That said, there are 437 delegates up for grabs on “Super Tuesday” — by contrast, Nevada awarded only 28 and Florida 50.

“This does not by any means end the nomination race,” Harvard University political expert Elaine Kamarck told AFP.

“Two things end nomination races,” she said. “One, a candidate runs out of money. This year, because of the Supreme Court decision that effectively allows for lots of money in campaigns, no one seems to be running out of money.

“Two, one candidate reaches the magic number of delegates to win the nomination in Tampa. That is not likely to happen until April. So I see a long race unfolding until one of the two above situations happens.”

Thanks to the Citizens United ruling Kamarck was referring to, candidates can receive unlimited corporate donations to so-called Super PACS, political action committees that are ostensibly — but not really — independent.

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