The two leading Republican candidates vying to take on President Barack Obama in this year’s presidential election turned to the topic of space during a debate last night in Tampa, Fla.
“This president has failed miserably the people of Florida,” said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. “His plans for NASA? He has no plans for NASA. The Space Coast is struggling.” Republican challengers Congressman Ron Paul and former Sen. Rick Santorum weren’t asked about space and didn’t bring up the topic during the debate.
Gingrich will be meeting Wednesday with leaders on Florida’s Space Coast — the region around Kennedy Space Center that bore the brunt of the layoffs following the retirement of the space shuttles last year.