(MANCHESTER, NH) Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says that he was wrong to endorse Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava in last November’s special election in New York’s 23rd District. Three days before the nationally-watched election, Scozzafava dropped out to endorse Democrat candidate Bill Owens, who narrowly defeated conservative challenger Doug Hoffman*. Gingrich took heat from Tea Party organizers and conservative pundits who charged that he was abandoning conservative principles for a “Republican In Name Only.”

“They were right,” Gingrich declared in an interview with New Hampshire Watchdog and WNTK Radio. This is the first time Gingrich has said his endorsement was a mistake.

Gingrich was in New Hampshire to address a conference on Grassroots Communication in the 21st Century sponsored by STEWARD of Prosperity.

“At the time, as a party builder and someone who has always been trying to help build the party, it struck me that she was the local nominee. She turned out to be a huge disappointment. And she turned out not to be frankly a loyal Republican,” Gingrich added. Responding to those critical of his endorsement, “And I think that those folks have the better of that argument.”

“It’s very important, though, not to get into a business where if you’re not exactly perfect, I can’t be for you,” continued Gingrich. “Scott Brown has been an enormously important victory, but the fact is Scott Brown, on many issues, would not meet a 100% purity test. But his victory was stunningly important for all of us.”

“In the case of Scozzafava, she is an enormous disappointment. She had some positions that were far more radical than I realized at the time. And I think in retrospect, it was probably a mistake.”

The entire interview will air on WNTK Radio Monday morning at WNTK.com.

Use allowed with attribution to NH Watchdog and WNTK.

*Corrected from original.