Alabama GOP chairman: Gingrich is “out of the ball game” if he doesn’t win today

Bill Armistead, Alabama GOP chairman, weighs in on his state’s primary and explains why Gingrich resonates with Alabama voters.

Armistead says, “[Gingrich is] our next door neighbor, and we’ve seen a lot of him over the past. And while he did take a backseat for a while he has stumped extensively here for Alabama. You would think he was running for governor here because of his campaigning, going to restaurants, going to church on Sunday. He is showing up everywhere. He’s got to do extremely well in Alabama and Mississippi just to stay in the race.

He continues, “… In all reality if [Gingrich] doesn’t win Mississippi and Alabama, I think it’s a big bump in the road. I don’t see how it goes forward. If he loses one he may go a little bit longer. If he loses them both, I believe he’s out of the ball game and then it will be a one to one between Santorum and Romney.”

Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien airs week mornings from 7-9am ET on CNN.