Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich hinted Sunday that if rival Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney loses the primary election in his home state of Michigan, he should drop out of the race.

“If he loses his home state, I don’t see what he says the next morning to his donors to stay in the race,” Mr. Gingrich told “Fox News Sunday.”

If Mr. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, can’t win his home state in a primary election, how can he beat President Obama in Michigan, which typically votes with the Democrats, Mr. Gingrich asked.

“For a general election, that’s not a very good sign,” he said.

Mr. Gingrich pushed the stakes higher, indicating he also needs to win his home state of Georgia in the primary election.

“If any of the three of us lose our home state … you have what I think is a very, very bad candidacy,” he said. “I think it is extraordinarily important to carry your home state.”

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