It’s one of the great untold stories of the 2012 presidential campaign.
A tale of ego and intrigue that nearly upset the Republican primary contest and might even have produced a different nominee and maybe a different President.
As Mitt Romney struggled in the weeks leading up to the Michigan primary, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum came close to agreeing to form a joint “Unity Ticket” to consolidate conservative support and topple Romney.
But then negotiations collapsed in acrimony because Gingrich and Santorum could not agree on who would get to be President.
Ego won out in the end.
Romney managed a three-point win in Michigan on February 28th and was never seriously threatened again.
If it had happened it could have changed the outcome of the general election.
The discussions between the two sides started in early February, just after Gingrich got beat in Florida.
Santorum’s side called Gingrich’s side hoping they could get him to drop out and endorse Santorum, who was going up in the polls.
The story goes that Gingrich had other ideas.
He suggested both men join forces but remain in the race, each concentrating on the states where he matched up best against Romney.
Gingrich thought he could carry Georgia, Delaware, Washington, and Wisconsin – where Santorum would focus on other states in the South and the upper Midwest.
But, as always, there was a catch.
