ORLANDO, Fla. -- Newt Gingrich conceded defeat in Florida, but painted himself as an outsider ready to shake up the establishment, and reminded his supporters that 95 percent of the nation's GOP delegates had yet to be counted.
Gingrich's own polls had clearly told him earlier in the day what his supporters watched unravel Tuesday night. Bouyed by those same supporters but sunk at the polls, Newt Gingrich took to the podium, vowing to press on in the remaining 46 states.
"We are going to contest every place and we are going to win and we will be back in Tampa as the nominee in August," he said to roaring applause.
Still, for Gingrich's supporters it was a disappointment. The former House speaker's victory in South Carolina had given them hope for Florida. But that momentum collided with a wave of negative advertising from the Romney campaign.
Norman Bossie, a Gingrich supporter and friend, promised he'd remain loyal and supportive, but admitted there would be challenges ahead.
"You gotta win, and he won in South Carolina," said Bossie. "But Romney planned to bury him here and he may have."
Barbara Carney from Orlando tried to be more optimistic. "I trust his smarts, his intelligence, and I know he's got a team that will help him come back," she said.
Had he won in Florida, Gingrich would not only have garnered the state's 50 delegates, it would have solidified his position as a frontrunner. Instead, his campaign must now re-evaluate its strategy, look for fresh money, and hope to regain in the southern "red" states what was lost here in Florida.
Former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, Gingrich's campaign co-chair in Florida, said it's still possible. "Newt's coming back with resources," he said. "He's got fundraising going on right now, and I think you're gonna see it very competitive going forward."
Gingrich's campaign didn't spend another night in Florida. Instead, his campaign was jetting off to their next primary state, Nevada, hoping the Silver State would be kinder to them than the Sunshine State.
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