But failing to get enough signatures shows that your organization is bush league. It's the very antithesis of being a major candidate. Being the best talker on the rubber chicken circuit will only get you so far. Campaigning is about showing that you can get things done, even mundane things like getting X-many qualified signatures to get put on a ballot.
Governing is also about getting mundane things done. It's about organization, working the system, being disciplined and knowing how to get the best out of your staff. Gingrich's tenure as Speaker of the House showed that this was not his strong suite as a leader. It's why those who have worked with him directly in the past damn him by their faint praise. This is not jealousy on their part, it's experience.
In politics, as in sports, winners want to get ready for the next play, while losers always want to argue the last one.