ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A third of Newt Gingrich’s campaign staff will be laid off and he will cut back on his campaign schedule, his team announced Tuesday night.
The former House speaker’s strategy will now be re-focused toward the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., in August, Gingrich’s communications director Joe DeSantis told Politico on Tuesday night, in a report confirmed by FOX News Channel.
“We’re focusing exclusively on what it’ll take to win what we’re going to be calling a big-choice convention in August,” DeSantis told the political news website.
He said Gingrich will have a less intense schedule and spend less time on the road, but will still visit those states yet to hold primaries.
Gingrich has also replaced his campaign manager Michael Krull, who has been in charge since an exodus of staff last June, with his deputy campaign manager and policy director, Vince Haley, who has spent nine years working alongside Gingrich.
“We think that a big part of how we succeed is getting back to core Gingrich, which is a focus on big ideas and positive solutions — having someone who is intimately aware of Newt’s policy positions and the way things are framed, and has been working with Newt for so long on the policy front. We think that having him [Haley] as the campaign manager is very important,” DeSantis said.
The new strategy relies on frontrunner Mitt Romney not getting enough delegates to win the nomination during the primaries, creating an opening for Gingrich to make his case to the party at the convention.
Gingrich has won only two primaries so far, in South Carolina and his home state of Georgia. His Southern strategy essentially was foiled when Rick Santorum picked up a series of other states in the region.
DeSantis told The New York Times the campaign believes Gingrich will be more effective focusing on President Barack Obama and letting Romney and Santorum attack each other.
“You are going to see us be very happy for Governor Romney and Senator Santorum to be hitting each other while we go after Mr. Obama,” DeSantis said.
Earlier Tuesday, Gingrich acknowledged his campaign’s finances were “very tight” after reports that his staff had started charging supporters $50 apiece for photos with the candidate.
When asked about the fee by reporters in Annapolis, Md., on Tuesday, Gingrich indicated his team is reorganizing to adjust to tougher financial realities, although he said he has enough money to remain in the race.
“The money is very tight obviously, that’s why we’re trying to raise more money,” Gingrich said, according to FOX News.
Asked whether he would ask staffers to take pay cuts, Gingrich said the campaign is “working through what it is going to take” to get to the Republican National Convention.
“Clearly we’re going to have to go on a fairly tight budget to get from here to Tampa, but I think we can do it,” he said.
It was revealed last week that Gingrich’s campaign is spending more money than it is taking in. According to a Federal Election Commission report, his campaign spent $2.8 million in the month of February while it raised just $2.62 million.
His overall campaign balance is also in the red. The Gingrich campaign carries $1.55 million in debt compared to $1.54 million cash on hand.