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Gingrich treated like political royalty in California visit

By John Ellis, McClatchy Newspapers –

TULARE, Calif.—Newt Gingrich is struggling to regain his political footing in the battle to capture the Republican presidential nomination, but none of that was evident Tuesday during a visit to the World Ag Expo.

The former House speaker from Georgia was treated like political royalty by the hordes attending the event. They broke from their routine to shake his hand, seek his autograph or pose for a picture.

Gingrich was gracious and patient as people crowded around him as he toured some of the exhibits.

“I like him,” said Adam Smith, a Missouri resident who is manning an exhibit on nutrients. “He’s always been my choice.”

Smith was on his cell phone to report his brush with political stardom not long after he crossed Gingrich’s path.

Gingrich’s stop at the World Ag Expo—which came after a morning stop in San Diego—was his first of two in the central San Joaquin Valley. Following his hourlong tour of the World Ag Expo, Gingrich headed to Fresno for a fundraiser at the home of Ryan and Wendy Turner. Wendy Turner is the daughter of Fresno Republican and former Secretary of State Bill Jones.

Gingrich’s Valley stops are part of a fundraising sweep through the state intended to refuel his sputtering campaign. Since winning last month’s South Carolina primary, Gingrich has trailed former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania who has been gaining on Romney in recent weeks.

Gingrich arrived in Tulare around 2:30 p.m. and he and his small entourage—which included security and handlers—quickly boarded a long covered trailer that was pulled by a tractor.

Along the way, Gingrich waved to well-wishers and reached out to shake a few hands.

Tulare farmer Mark Watte—a former chairman of the World Ag Expo—was Gingrich’s tour guide, leading him to different exhibits.

Gingrich talked for a long time with Scot Hillman, chairman of the board at J.D. Heiskell & Company, the Tulare-based grain and commodity trading business.

Hillman said he was impressed by Gingrich’s knowledge of agriculture.

“He had some good questions,” he said. “Ag is a world a lot of people don’t know.”

Gingrich then checked out blueberry and raspberry harvesters manufactured by Oxbo International Corp., which makes specialty harvesters.

After that, Gingrich took a look at some big tractors and wheat and corn harvesters.

In a brief question and answer with the media, Gingrich criticized water decisions by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and federal Environmental Protection Agency.

He said both were filled with Washington, D.C., bureaucrats who make decisions about Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta water allocations without regard to the economic hardships that result in the Valley.

Gingrich also criticized—but didn’t totally dismiss—high-speed rail.

He said California must make sure its proposed project isn’t government-subsidized, is affordable and is “not just one more Sacramento boondoggle.”

The comments drew a huge cheer from the onlookers who were listening in on the news conference.

Until the very end—when Gingrich again boarded the trailer pulled by the tractor—he pressed the flesh and chatted up people.

That included Robert Arnold and his wife Tippy of Mojave Valley, Ariz., who pushed their way in to get a photo with Gingrich.

“Let’s get it done,” Robert Arnold said to Gingrich after the photo.

“With your help,” Gingrich replied.

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