Rand Paul says either Gingrich or Romney as the nominee would be GOP disaster

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a favorite of the tea party and son of GOP presidential hopeful Rep. Ron Paul, warned Friday that the Republican Party would take a step back if it taps either of the race’s two frontrunners, Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney, as its nominee in the 2012 race.

The younger Mr. Paul described Mr. Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, as a “moderate, Northeastern, don’t-rock-the-boat” candidate in an op-ed that appeared in the Des Moines Register. But he concentrated most of his fire at Mr. Gingrich, the former House speaker, calling him as the “status quo” candidate and a “Rockefeller Republican from the liberal wing of the party.”

Mr. Gingrich “is not from the tea party. He is not even a conservative,” Mr. Paul wrote.

The attack from Mr. Paul follows numerous polls showing Mr. Gingrich leading among Republican voters nationwide and in Iowa, where the Jan. 3 caucuses kick off the race and where Mr. Paul’s father hopes that his loyal base of supports can help him pull off a surprise win.

“Unfortunately, while all Republican candidates would be an improvement over the present administration, two of the current frontrunners simply do not represent the tea party, the conservative movement, or the type of change our country desperately needs in 2012,” said Rand Paul, who emerged as one of the tea party’s biggest stars after handily winning his Senate race in 2010.

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