Newt Gingrich said Sarah Palin should "absolutely" speak at the Republican National Convention in August, as growing pressure mounts on Mitt Romney's campaign to extend an invitation to the divisive figure and Tea Party favorite.
"Gov. Palin motivates and arouses an entire base," Gingrich said on Tuesday in an interview with conservative radio host Laura Ingraham. "[She] should absolutely have a speaking slot."
Gingrich also said that he would be honored to speak at the convention if asked, but the decision is up to Romney and his team.
Palin was an avid supporter of Gingrich during the GOP primaries, calling on Republicans multiple times to vote for the former House speaker, though she declined to officially endorse him.
According to reports on Monday, Palin had yet to receive an invitation to even attend, let alone speak, at the convention in Tampa, Fla.
“What can I say?” Palin told Newsweek when asked about the convention. “I’m sure I’m not the only one accepting consequences for calling out both sides of the aisle for spending too much money, putting us on the road to bankruptcy, and engaging in crony capitalism.”
“In accepting those consequences,” she continued, “one must remember this isn’t Sadie Hawkins and you don’t invite yourself and a date to the Big Dance.”
Still, the Romney campaign's reticence could stem from the fact that Palin has repeatedly expressed her reservations about the presumptive Republican nominee's candidacy and has yet to offer him her full endorsement. Just last week, she told Fox News that Romney needs to do a better job of motivating the base and advised Romney to "light our hair on fire."