Palin helped Newt Gingrich win in South Carolina.

For those of you who thought that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s October announcement that she wasn’t going to run for president signaled her political death-knell, well, the lady doth not die.

That might be one of the many lessons gleaned from Newt Gingrich’s overwhelming victory Saturday in South Carolina’s Republican primary.

The Gingrich-Palin love-fest began when Todd Palin endorsed Gingrich for the Republican presidential nominee early in January. Then Sarah followed. She didn’t go as far as to endorse Gingrich in the race, but she told Fox's Sean Hannity that if she lived in South Carolina, she would vote for Gingrich.

The former House speaker repaid that endorsement by telling CNN, “I would ask her to consider taking a major role in the next administration if I’m president…”
Gingrich also said Palin's endorsement in the state was a “signal to every conservative that the one conservative vote that’s effective is to Newt Gingrich and that’s very helpful.” (Continues here)

Sarah Palin Trumps Nikki Haley, Chris Christie In South Carolina Primary Influence Game

As former House Speaker Newt Gingrich surged to victory in Saturday's South Carolina primary, there was another clear winner in the Palmetto State: Sarah Palin.

During an appearance Tuesday on Fox News' "Hannity," the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate said that if she were a South Carolinian, she would "vote for Newt." Although it was not a formal endorsement for Gingrich, and she made no campaign stops in support of the former speaker, it may have been an important stamp of approval in a state where 65 percent of primary voters support the Tea Party movement.

Less successful were former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's high-profile endorsers, whose influence was not enough to sway South Carolina voters. Gov. Nikki Haley, who swept into office on a wave of Tea Party support, reportedly shocked her base by backing Romney last month. Exit poll data showed that Tea Party supporters overwhelmingly supported Gingrich in Saturday's primary.
According to Politico reporter Reid Epstein, Haley was not in attendance at Romney's headquarters on Saturday night.  (Continues here)