Newt Gingrich has begun suggesting in conversations with Republican activists and interested parties that Fred Thompson's candidacy could potentially prove hot enough to keep him out of the race. He’s not saying he’s in, he’s not saying he’s out -- but he's begun asking for feedback on whether the party would be interested in him.

Gingrich has always said he'd look at the state of play in September, then judge the field on the merits and the perceived need for his candidacy. Insiders have said from the start that all the presidential speculation was merely Gingrich flexing his influence to sell books and trying to join and elevate the debate.

But since Fred joined that debate, there hasn’t been a lot of focus on Newt or his ideas -- so he's begun floating a trial balloon of sorts with interested Republicans to determine whether or not there is still a desire for another candidate out there, or if Fred has filled the roster.

He's not saying that’s the case, he's asking whether it’s the case. Call it the the Newt Gingrich poll.