Newt Gingrich predicts what will cause Trump to 'probably' lose re-election to Joe Biden

The coronavirus could spell disaster for President Donald Trump, according to Newt Gingrich.

Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, predicted Friday that if a second wave of COVID-19 infections trigger new lockdown measures, especially in states that have already lifted lockdowns, Trump will "probably" lose re-election.

"I think the jury is out. If Trump is right and we can reopen safely with reasonable precautions, he'll probably get re-elected. If Trump is wrong, and as a result states have to shut down again and the economy goes back in the tank, then he probably won't get re-elected, no matter what the consequence is, because at that point, people will say, 'Well, that didn't work,'" Gingrich told Just The News.

"There's a lot riding on getting the next couple months to work," he added.

Gingrich's comments came in response to questions about whether holding public rallies, including the upcoming Republican National Convention, would hurt Trump and the Republican Party at the ballot box in November.

Gingrich: Trump will ‘probably get re-elected' if ‘we can reopen safely with reasonable precautions’www.youtube.com

On the flip side, Gingrich said that Joe Biden's strategy of staying out of the spotlight may pay dividends.

"For some people, they prefer safety to risk taking, and it's very clear that Trump is a risk taker, and it's very clear that between the virus and the economy and the Chinese… we have a lot of risk out there right now," Gingrich said. "So it's conceivable that Biden, by hiding, looks passive, and looks non-threatening and that may be reassuring to people, they may say, 'Oh, wow, you know, Biden would never do any of these things.' Now, it's also true that Biden probably wouldn't do anything."

Unfortunately, some states have already begun reimposing COVID-related restrictions.

Texas, for example, re-closed bars on Friday, in addition to slashing restaurant dine-in capacity to just 50%.

Still, as COVID-19 cases surge across the south, states and localities nationwide are working to prevent a COVID-19 flare-up by implementing mandatory mask ordinances.