Gingrich to talk about testing presidential bid

[March 03, 2011]  ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) -- Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will talk about his plans to begin raising money to test whether a bid for the GOP presidential nomination is feasible.

Gingrich is set to talk about the step at a news conference Thursday at the state Capitol in his home state of Georgia where he has a meeting with the governor. Spokesman Rick Tyler says Gingrich "is entering the exploratory phase" of a presidential candidacy. He is stopping short of setting up an exploratory committee, which would have made him a legal candidate. Tyler says Gingrich and his wife, Callista, oversee a web of commercial and nonprofit ventures and must tie up some loose ends with those businesses before they can take that step. But Tyler says "this is a serious exploratory phase." [Associated Press; By SHANNON McCAFFREY] Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.