Rivals already were trying to poach Gingrich's donors and top supporters Friday, even as the former House speaker said he would keep campaigning despite the resignations of his top advisers and entire Iowa paid staff. Party insiders eyed the likely entry of Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and a possible bid by Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
Mitt Romney's decision to skip the Iowa straw poll in August, meanwhile, reinforced his image as a front-runner willing to pick his shots. And potential candidate Sarah Palin again lent a circus atmosphere to the entire GOP family
- this time indirectly - when Alaska released thousands of pages of emails from her days as governor.
In short, it was a typical week in the GOP's free-wheeling nominating process. The field is anything but set, and there's no clear picture of who will emerge to challenge President Barack Obama in 2012.
Gingrich spoke publicly Friday for the first time after the mass resignation of his top aides. Several of them said they were frustrated because he was devoting insufficient time to the nitty-gritty work of meeting and galvanizing supporters in early voting states such as Iowa.
Gingrich told reporters outside his suburban Virginia home that he was committed to campaigning "very intensely" for the White House. He attributed his aides' departure to disagreements about strategy.
"There is a fundamental strategic difference between the traditional consulting community and the kind of campaign I want to run," he said. "We'll find out over the next year who's right."
Gingrich received a vote of confidence from at least one high-profile backer: Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, his campaign chairman in his old home state. "When the going gets rough, I don't cut and run on my friends," Deal said.
That comment took only a little of the sting from his predecessor's jump from Gingrich's campaign to that of former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Sonny Perdue had been a national co-chairman for the Gingrich campaign.
Pawlenty also picked up support Friday from Al Hubbard, who directed the National Economic Council under President George W. Bush.
Republicans hoped the campaign focus might shift toward policy and what they consider Obama's shortcomings on Monday, when seven candidates plan to debate in Manchester, N.H.
Joining Romney, Pawlenty, Gingrich and Bachmann will be Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former pizza company executive Herman Cain, and former Sen. Rick Santorum, who unveiled a 60-second radio ad Friday criticizing the federal deficit.
Notably absent will be former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has been campaigning unofficially for several weeks, mostly in New Hampshire. Huntsman recently said he will join debates if he officially enters the race.
Meanwhile, he told reporters in New Hampshire, "we're here in people's homes, we're open to all of you, we're open to citizens that drop by and talk to us and ask whatever question they want."
