Gingrich decides against 2008 run for White House

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will not run for president in 2008 after determining he could not legally explore a bid and remain as head of his tax-exempt political organisation, a spokesman said today.

“Newt is not running,” spokesman Rick Tyler said. “It is legally impermissible for him to continue on as chairman of American Solutions (for Winning the Future) and to explore a campaign for president.”

Gingrich decided “to continue on raising the challenges America faces and finding solutions to those challenges” as the group’s chairman, Tyler said, “rather than pursuing the presidency”.

Over the past few months, Gingrich had stoked speculation he might enter the crowded Republican field. He noted that Republicans, especially conservatives, were unhappy with the candidates already in the race.

Yet he also has spoken positively of all the leading contenders, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson and Arizona Senator John McCain.

Just last week, Gingrich said he had given himself a deadline of October 21 to raise $30m in pledges for a possible White House bid, acknowledging the task was difficult but not impossible.

He abruptly dropped the idea today, apparently unwilling to give up the chairmanship of American Solutions, the political arm of Gingrich’s lucrative empire as an author, pundit and consultant.

American Solutions, a tax-exempt committee he started last October, has paid for Gingrich’s travel and has a pollster and fundraiser on staff.