Newt Gingrich uses Las Vegas campaign stop to make case for Trump

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich campaigned for Donald Trump in Las Vegas on Thursday, saying the differences between the Republican nominee and Hillary Clinton are stark enough to sway undecided voters in Trump’s favor.

Gingrich spoke to about 200 supporters and volunteers gathered at Trump’s local campaign office, drawing applause when he described Trump as a candidate with tangible accomplishments such as massive construction projects as well as business experience. Donald Trump Jr., son of the real estate mogul, campaigned in Las Vegas later in the day.

Gingrich called Hillary Clinton “clearly the most corrupt” and the “most dishonest person.”

“Every single day right now we are learning new things,” Gingrich said.

The Clinton campaign was blindsided last week with revelations that the FBI is reviewing more emails in connection to its investigation of her use of a private server while secretary of state. The development came after FBI Director James Comey in July announced no charges would come from the investigation, but called the use of a private server to handle sensitive government information “extremely careless.”

Gingrich, who now writes novels and plugged his thriller “Treason” at the event, cast the recent developments as stranger than fiction.

“You couldn’t put this in a novel,” he said. “No publisher would publish it.”

In Nevada, GOP congressional candidates are divided on whether to support Trump. Republican Danny Tarkanian, running in the 3rd Congressional District, supports Trump and has spoken at rallies. U.S. Rep. Cresent Hardy, R-Nev., withdrew his support for Trump in October.

In an interview, Gingrich said he doesn’t expect Trump supporters to vote against Republicans in congressional races who don’t support him.

“I think now virtually every Trump voter understands that Trump needs a Republican Congress, and I think that they’re virtually all going to come home,” Gingrich said. “There are going to be very few Trump voters that split their ticket for a Democrat because they understand that Democrats are the party of corruption.”

Gingrich was on Trump’s short list of potential running mates before Trump picked Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

Asked by the audience if he’d have a cabinet position in a Trump administration, Gingrich said he’d want to be chief planner for redesigning the federal government.

While such a position doesn’t exist, it’s something Gingrich would like to help accomplish.

“I think the government’s so badly broken, we really need to focus on how do you redesign it so it works,” he said later in an interview, adding he would do the job “pro bono.”

Asked if he’d talked to Trump about the prospect, Gingrich said: “You don’t talk about those things before the election. Since the job doesn’t even exist, it’s pretty hard to apply for it.”

Trump Jr. campaigned Thursday at Ahern Rentals, an equipment rental business on West Bonanza Road in Las Vegas.

Rick Harrison, of the “Pawn Stars” reality show, spoke at the event, telling the audience: “Hillary believes she knows what’s best for you and Donald Trump believes you know what’s best for you and your family.”

Trump Jr. said his father’s status as an outsider to the Washington, D.C. establishment would lead to changes.

“We’re going to shake up the cartel in D.C.,” he said.

His father will campaign Saturday in Reno.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.