Newt Gingrich isn’t faring well against Mitt Romney inside the Beltway, reports the nonpartisan National Journal. Political insiders on both sides of the Washington circus tent favored Mitt Romney over Newt Gingrich — 86 to 14 on the donkey side, and 83 to 17 on the elephant side — when asked, “Who has a better chance of beating President Obama in 2012, Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney?” A Democratic insider said, “Mitt Romney is better positioned to speak to independent voters, including key voting blocs like swing unmarried women.” A Republican insider concurred: “Romney is more acceptable to moderate voters, especially female voters.” Despite Romney’s “shape-shifting,” said another Republican insider, “he’s far more disciplined than Gingrich and is the only candidate that can win in November.” The problem with Romney, said another Republican, is that “There isn’t much ‘there’ there.” Which beats the problem with Newt Gingrich. “Gingrich is not stable enough emotionally to be the nominee,” said a Republican insider, “let alone the president.” “Newt can’t take the scrutiny,” the report quotes a Democrat as saying, “and he has the personality of an angry badger.”