---
"title": "Gingrich Bows Out as the General Election Battle Takes Shape"
"description": "Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich ended his presidential campaign with a final week of unflattering and relatively sparse coverage and Mitt Romney's campaign narrative appeared to benefit from some high profile endorsements."
"date": "2012-05-07"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "Pew Research Center: Journalism & Media staff"
    "job_title": "Guest Contributor"
"url": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/journalism/2012/05/07/pejselectionanalysis/"
"categories":
  - "Election 2012"
  - "Leaders"
---

# Gingrich Bows Out as the General Election Battle Takes Shape

#

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/legacy/u29/PEJ_ElectionWebBanner.jpg)](/commentary_backgrounder/PEJ%27s+Election+Analysis)

**PEJ’s weekly examination of the coverage and conversation about the presidential race. [About Campaign 2012 in the Media](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/journalism/2012/04/23/romney-report/)**

## May 7 update

[if gte mso 9]

Newt Gingrich’s official exit from the presidential race on May 2 was greeted with the kind of coverage he experienced throughout the 2012 primary season-a sharply negative narrative. Read more [here](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/journalism/2012/04/23/romney-report/).

## Special Features

##

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/legacy/u29/Tone-of-news-coverage_2.jpg)](http://features.www.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/journalism/campaign-2012-in-the-media/tone-of-news-coverage/)

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/legacy/u29/Volume-of-news-coverage_1.jpg){.align}](http://features.www.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/journalism/campaign-2012-in-the-media/volume-of-news-coverage/)

![](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/journalism/){.align}

![](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/journalism/){.align}

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/legacy/u29/Tone-on-Twitter.jpg){.align}](http://features.www.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/journalism/campaign-2012-in-the-media/tone-on-twitter/)

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/legacy/u29/Volume-on-Twitter.jpg){.align}](http://features.www.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/journalism/campaign-2012-in-the-media/volume-on-twitter/)

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/legacy/u29/Media-campaign-news_0.jpg){.align}](/commentary_backgrounder/media_campaign_news)