TROUBLE

Newt’s Iowa Political Director Out

After controversial Mormon remark, though campaign surges.

Is this another sign of implosion? There are signs of fissures in the Newt Gingrich campaign as Craig Bergman, the frontrunner’s new political director, has resigned after making controversial remarks against Mormons.  “A lot of the evangelicals believe God would give us four more years of Obama just for the opportunity to expose the cult of Mormon,” Bergman said during a focus group to Iowan Republicans on Wednesday. The Gingrich campaign said Bergman had “agreed to step away from his role with Newt 2012.” A similar anti-Mormon remark by a pastor close to Rick Perry contributed to derailing his campaign, when Robert Jeffress called Mormonism a “cult.” Meanwhile, Gingrich hit 40 percent for the first time in a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, a seemingly commanding lead in the GOP race.