Gingrich boost in battle for New Hampshire

Republican US presidential candidate Newt Gingrich got a boost yesterday when New Hampshire’s biggest newspaper and most influential conservative voice endorsed his candidacy over that of Mitt Romney.

The latter is favourite to win the state that holds the first nominating election in six weeks. But the New Hampshire Union Leader sided with Mr Gingrich, despite a poll last week showing Mr Romney with 42 per cent support among likely Republican primary voters in the area, with Mr Gingrich well down on 15 per cent.

Eight Republicans are battling for the right to challenge Barack Obama in next November’s presidential election.

The Union Leader is a powerful voice in the Republican nominating process. Four years ago, it supported John McCain’s bid and used its opinion columns and editorials to boost him – and criticise Mr Romney.

This time round, it said: “We would rather back someone with whom we may sometimes disagree than one who tells us what he thinks we want to hear.”