Todd Palin endorses Gingrich in GOP primary

Todd Palin, husband of former Alaska governor and GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, has endorsed Newt Gingrich in the Republican presidential primary, giving the former House Speaker a much-needed boost among Tea Party conservatives.

Palin told ABC News that he had not spoken to Gingrich or anyone from his campaign, but appreciated that the former speaker had fought through scrutiny similar to that placed on his wife during her unsuccessful vice presidential bid in 2008. Palin also applauded Gingrich for fighting through the en masse resignation of his senior staff last summer, saying his campaign has “burst out of the political arena and touched many Americans.”

He also said Sarah Palin has not yet decided “who is best able to go up against Barack Obama” and that his “hat is off to everyone” in the Republican race.

Palin’s endorsement should help Gingrich, who was reeling after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses. Since then, he has aggressively targeted presumptive front-runner Mitt Romney, seeking to position himself as the more conservative alternative.

The Palin family remains extremely popular among conservatives, and many expected that Sarah would enter the presidential fray herself earlier this year.

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