From Cafemom.com’s The Stir/Christine Doyle

Late last week, the 2012 election took its latest dramatic twist as Newt Gingrich lunged ahead of Mitt Romney in the polls. While it has seemed like Republican women have been muted by the party in recent years, there was no mistaking their voice in polling leading up to the Florida primary. Women don’t like Gingrich. According to the Wall Street Journal, support among male voters is split between Romney and Gingrich but when it comes to women, Gingrich’s support is evaporating. Kind of like when you’re at the mall and three different women are coming at you with a different scent. There’s an overwhelming array. You catch a spritz of this, a scent of that. But once the air clears, you realize which one is and isn’t you. That’s what Republican women did this past weekend. And at the end of the day, the whole Romney package –  his wife, his campaign, his promise of a stronger economy – just smells better!

After Newt’s victory in South Carolina, my website, ModerateMoms.com, took the position that the era of an extra marital affair sinking a candidate’s chances had officially ended. My friends and I were joking this weekend that the Callista Gingrich’s legacy seems to be that short of doing meth, the spouse factor doesn’t seem to be a factor anymore.

Having said that, Gingrich has earned his place in republican politics. The party has been a sort of men’s country club for years, that once christened itself the standard bearer, but now sees membership is down. Newt is kind of that rogue member who has fresh ideas and isn’t afraid to speak up even though he knows he could get booted. I think that’s probably why he’s running, don’t you? Maybe to get his ideas out there? We must not forget that this is the guy who convinced Bill Clinton to reform welfare. And he’s right about extending the Bush tax cuts and slashing the corporate tax rate to promote growth. But some of his ideas, like summoning Supreme Court justices before an impeachment panel if we disagree with their rulings, are as goofy as making the moon our 51st state. And others, like bashing Romney over his15% tax rate when under Gingrich’s own plan, Romney would pay almost nothing or Gingrich’s role as a “historian” for Freddie Mac, smell a little funky.

As for Republican women, way to go ladies! Gone are the mousy grumblings about Sarah and Michelle. Instead, if the polls are right and Republican women are polling differently than men in advance of the Florida primary, that Republican woman’s voice is turning into a lioness’ roar.