Newt Gingrich has insisted he's not dropping out of the presidential race and will fight all the way to the Republican National Convention.

But will the former House speaker be able to make the first ballot in Tampa?

There's been lots of talk in the last couple of days about a GOP rule that states a candidate has to have a plurality of delegates from at least five states to get on the ballot at the convention this August.

Gingrich has only won two states -- South Carolina and Georgia -- so far in the GOP race and lags well behind front-runner Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in delegates.

The rule would also seem to apply to Ron Paul, who has yet to win a state or primary and has the fewest convention delegates based on a tally by the Associated Press.

Here's what Rule No. 40, Section B states in the Republican National Committee rulebook:

Each candidate for nomination for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States shall demonstrate the support of a plurality of the delegates from each of five (5) or more states, severally, prior to the presentation of the name of the candidate for nomination.

Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, told NBC News that the rule is an important one.

"So when these candidates are adding up their delegates or when people out there have a particular issue that they would like to move at the convention, they had better make sure they at least have a plurality of five states to make these things happen," Priebus said.

Randy Evans, a Gingrich adviser, said Gingrich could still get a plurality of delegates, through a combination of wins in upcoming contests such as one in the District of Columbia, and by peeling off delegates who aren't bound by the results of primaries or caucuses.

"Obviously, we'd much prefer to win five states," Evans told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He said the idea that Rule 40, Section B is "a legal prerequisite is a falsehood."

In the same Atlanta newspaper story, former RNC communications director Doug Heye cast doubt on the Gingrich strategy.

"There doesn't seem to be a realistic chance of that," Heye is quoted as saying. "It's almost grasping for anything."

ABC News reports it is possible for Gingrich -- or any other presidential candidate -- to get on the ballot after the first round and be able to win the GOP nomination.

"An RNC official acknowledged that on later rounds of voting, it would be possible for a motion to be made to nominate a candidate who did not qualify on previous rounds," ABC News says. "Essentially, the nomination-for-the-nomination process begins anew. At that point, a new candidate could demonstrate plurality support from five states and qualify."

Stay tuned.