Multiple media reports say that several top aides have resigned from Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign, essentially leaving him without a staff. Fox's Carl Cameron reports that aides Rick Tyler, David Carney, and Rob Johnson are among those who quit, citing disagreements with Gingrich over both policy issues and campaign tactics.
Cameron suggested Gingrich may be forced to withdraw from the race because he will not able to find anyone to manage it.
Update: AP has more:
Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich's campaign manager, senior strategists and key aides in early delegate-selection states all resigned on Thursday, a mass exodus that leaves his hopes of winning the Republican nomination in tatters.
Rick Tyler, Gingrich's spokesman, said he, campaign manager Rob Johnson and senior strategists had resigned, along with aides in the early primary and caucus states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
Other officials said Gingrich was informed that his entire high command was quitting in a meeting earlier in the day. They cited differences over the direction of the campaign but were not more specific.
Update: Taegan Goddard:
Carney and Johnson have strong ties to Texas Gov. Rick Perry which will only increase the speculation he's going to jump in the presidential race.
Update: Politico:
One official said the last straw came when Gingrich went forward with taking a long-planned cruise with his wife last week in the Greek isles. After his bumpy start, rumors began to circulate in the political community the former House speaker’s days as a candidate were numbered. But the collective decision by his high command to quit makes it likely that his demise will be hastened. Officials like Dawson and Tyler have advised for Gingrich for years. And Johnson, who ran Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign last year, was seen as bringing a measure of stability to the organization. Now, speculation will immediately begin as to whether Johnson and Carney, Perry’s chief political adviser, will start planning a presidential campaign for the Texan.
Sources familiar with Perry’s thinking continue to insist, however, that such an eventuality is still unlikely.
They quit in part because he took a cruise in the Greek isles? Cripes...are these guys just a little oversensitive or what? (Update: Presumably, they were more annoyed that he went on vacation so soon after announcing than they were with where. Perhaps they felt his campaign was all about lining his pocket?)
Update: Gingrich turns to Facebook to promise his follower(s) that he's not giving up:
I am committed to running the substantive, solutions-oriented campaign I set out to run earlier this spring. The campaign begins anew Sunday in Los Angeles.
Update: Newt's entire Iowa staff is gone.