Newt Gingrich Helps Out Mitt Romney and Connie Mack in Jacksonville

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich hit the First Coast on Thursday to promote the candidacy of former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, the man who beat him for the Republican presidential nomination. But there was another Republican that Gingrich was supporting on Thursday -- U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, the favorite to emerge in the August primary to challenge Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

Speaking to Republicans in Jacksonville, the former congressional leader said that the Sunshine State would be in the political frontlines come November.

We have to win the White House and we have to win the Senate, Gingrich said. Florida plays a major role with both. ... No Republican is going to win the presidency without carrying Florida.

Gingrich also said Romney and Mack needed to do well on the First Coast.

For a Republican to carry Florida, they have to carry Duval County by a large margin, Gingrich insisted.

Gingrich said electing Mack over Nelson was important. Noting that Rasmussen Reports released a poll earlier in the week showing Mack beating Nelson by 9 percent, Gingrich said he was not surprised since, he insisted, Floridians were finally realizing that the Democrat incumbent was a liberal.

Its beginning to sink into Floridians that Bill Nelson is a Barack Obama Democrat, Gingrich said.