Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich — a possible 2008 White House candidate — dipped a toe into the online world of Second Life on Thursday for an hour-long question and answer session, protected by a squad of virtual female bodyguards.

The event, which took place in a replica of the U.S. Capitol, was carefully managed like many real-world political rallies. Along with a crowd of about 50 invited attendees, five protesters were confined to an designated area, waving “Conservatism Kills” banners and typing a steady stream of anti-Republican slogans.

Second Life, the virtual world where users from around the world create characters known as avatars, has been a desitination for politicians since last year, when former Virginia Governor Mark Warner — then still a prospective presidential candidate — made an appearance. It also was a battleground in the recent French elections, and volunteers have created Second Life headquarters for their favorite U.S. presidential candidates.

Gingrich has been flirting with a White House run but said earlier this month that “the odds are very high that I won’t run.” His avatar — also named Newt Gingrich — can be seen in the picture above, courtesy of Clear Ink, the consulting firm that organized the Second Life event. It was part of “Solutions Day,” a series of multimedia workshops to commemorate the anniversary of the “Contract With America.”

The former speaker told Reuters ahead of the event that Democrats have taken the lead in using the Internet for political organization.

“But my hunch is that won’t last very long, and you’ll see relative parity in the next three or four years,” he said.

Click here to read more about Second Life, where Reuters opened a bureau last year.

(Reporting by Eric Krangel)