Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus downplayed the escalating conflict between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich in the Republican presidential primary, arguing that tough battles would prepare whomever the eventual nominee was to face President Obama.
"For the most part we do our best to obey Reagan's 11th commandment," Priebus said during an interview Wednesday with CNN. "I'm not going to become the referee of the Republican primary field."
Ronald Reagan's famous "11th commandment" says Republicans should not speak ill of fellow Republicans.
An incensed Gingrich has angrily blasted Romney as a "liar" and blamed a series of television ads aired by a pro-Romney political action committee for his disappointing fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses Tuesday night.
"Gov. Romney ran a relentlessly negative campaign of falsehoods," Gingrich told supporters in Concord Wednesday, noting that "three out of four Republicans rejected [Romney]" at the polls Tuesday night.
Romney has responded by telling Gingrich that he needs tougher skin because attacks by Democrats, if Gingrich were to be the nominee, would be nastier than anything Romney supporters have hit him with.
Priebus said that "Americans expect primaries to be tough" and that ultimately the GOP nominee would be stronger.
"History shows us that primaries, and even tough primaries, work for the opposition party," Priebus said.
The RNC chairman also dismissed criticism that Romney would have a difficult time rallying strong conservatives and Tea Party members behind his candidacy. Romney edged out Rick Santorum by
just eight votes Tuesday night in Iowa. The Pennsylvania senator's late push was largely fueled by evangelicals and Tea Party members.
"I think it's akin to going to a restaurant, and just because you don't want the hamburger doesn't mean you don't like hamburgers, it just means you want a Caesar salad," Priebus said.
