Newt Gingrich photo

Gingrich Campaign Press Release - SC Tea Party Leader Endorses Newt

September 13, 2011

Originally posted at The State

Allen Olson, chairman of the Columbia Tea Party, said Tuesday he will resign his post in order to endorse former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich in his bid for the White House.

"There is only one candidate for president who is leading on what I believe are the underlying issues this country faces," Olson said in a statement. "Not only is this candidate talking about serious issues, he is providing real solutions."

Olson said the deciding factor in his choice to support Gingrich was his advocacy for the Strong America Now deficit-cutting plan which seeks to eliminate federal waste.

Olson said he will work with Gingrich's team in the months to come to build a grassroots movement here in South Carolina.

Here is Mr. Olson's endorsement letter in which he explains to Columbia Tea Party members why he is resigning as chairman to endorse Newt:

First and foremost, this is not an endorsement by the Columbia Tea Party.

Today, I have decided to resign my post as Chairman of the Columbia Tea Party so that I can personally endorse Speaker Gingrich for President of the United States.

There is only one candidate for president who is leading on what I believe are the underlying issues this country faces. Not only is this candidate talking about serious issues, he is providing real solutions.

It is with a great deal of hope and excitement for our country's future that I am supporting Newt Gingrich for President of the United States.

For me, the deciding factor in my choice to support Newt was his advocacy for the Strong America Now deficit-cutting plan. I first heard Strong America Now leader Mike George explain the plan at a Tea Party Patriots gathering in Washington, DC in November 2009. The plan, which uses a process called Lean Six Sigma to eliminate waste, will change the way Washington operates and allow us to implement necessary solutions. Newt was the first to sign the Strong America Now pledge and understands that it will take a new type of thinking to tackle the challenges we face as a country.

I believe too much bad government and the politics of both parties led to the mess we are in today. But Newt is talking about real solutions to fix these problems, such as breaking up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and repealing the Dodd-Frank financial regulations. We need someone in the White House who will return this country to a free market so that we get back to America's greatness and back to "We the People." I believe Newt Gingrich is this person.

You should know that I deliberated over my decision to support Newt for some time. In fact, I never intended on endorsing any candidate at all. As you know for the past several years I've worked to build the Columbia Tea Party, and until just yesterday, I proudly and humbly served as its chairman. For the same reasons and values I started the Columbia Tea Party, I am joining with Newt to make sure our country has a leader who values our freedom first.

Over the next year I intend to help Newt and his team build a grassroots movement here in South Carolina and to spread word of his support for solutions like Lean Six Sigma and his support of the Constitution and limited government. With this endorsement I hope that others will look at Newt as the real alternative to what the establishment is offering.

I am proud to support Newt for president. I stand with him and I hope you will, too.

Sincerely, Allen Olson

Newt Gingrich, Gingrich Campaign Press Release - SC Tea Party Leader Endorses Newt Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/298364

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