Newt Gingrich

American politician and author (born 1943)

Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich (born June 17, 1943 as Newton Leroy McPherson) is an American politician from Georgia. He is credited with bringing about the Republican Revolution in the 1994 United States House of Representatives elections, which gave the Republican Party control of the United States House of Representatives for the first time since the 1952 United States House of Representatives elections.[1]

Newt Gingrich
Gingrich in 2022
58th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
In office
January 4, 1995 – January 3, 1999
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byTom Foley
Succeeded byDennis Hastert
House Minority Whip
In office
March 20, 1989 – January 3, 1995
LeaderRobert H. Michel
Preceded byDick Cheney
Succeeded byDavid E. Bonior
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Georgia's 6th district
In office
January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1999
Preceded byJohn J. Flynt, Jr.
Succeeded byJohnny Isakon
Personal details
Born
Newtown Leroy McPherson

(1943-06-17) June 17, 1943 (age 80)
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Political partyRepublican
OccupationAmerican politician

Early life change

He was born Newton Leroy McPherson in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was adopted by his stepfather.

Political career change

1974 election change

Gingrich began his political career in 1974 when he ran for the United States House of Representatives from Georgia's 6th congressional district. He ran against incumbent John Flynt, a segregationist Democrat who had represented Georgia's 6 since 1965. Flynt had not faced any serious challenge to his seat in the past, and Gingrich struggled to pull together a grassroots movement against Flynt. Despite the 1974 United States elections being a bad year for Republicans nationally due to the Watergate scandal, Gingrich only narrowly lost to Flynt by 2.9 points.

1976 election change

Despite his previoust defeat, Gingrich ran against Flynt again in 1976. Flynt was expected to do well given that Jimmy Carter, a favorite son and Georgia Democrat, leading the ticket as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee. Despite this, Gingrich only narrowly lost again by only 3.4 points.

1978 election change

In 1978, Flynt decided to retire and did not run for reelection. Gingrich launched a third consecutive campaign, although he did face a primary challenge from other Georgia Republicans. After winning the Republican primary, he faced Democrat Virginia Shapard. He managed to use ads about Shapard's previous record on in the Georgia State Senate to paint Shapard as a liar. This strategy proved successful, with Gingrich winning 54.4% of the vote.

Tenure in the House of Representatives change

Gingrich entered the House of Representatives on January 3, 1979.

Personal life change

He is also an author, professor, and a historian. Since quitting the House, Gingrich has become a political analyst, or someone who talks about current issues on television, radio, or in a newspaper. Gingrich has been a Fox News Network political analyst until his presidential campaign in 1988. He then joined the Cable News Network (CNN) as a political analyst after the campaign ended.[2] [3] He also cohosted Crossfire on CNN.[4]

In 2000, he married Callista Bisek.

2012 election change

 
Newt Gingrich 2012 campaign logo

In the 2012 United States presidential election, Gingrich launched a presidential campaign for the Republican nomination.[5] Gingrich announced that he was going to suspend his campaign on April 25, 2012,[6] and officially did so on May 2, 2012.[7] Gingrich endorsed eventual Republican nominee Mitt Romney,[8] though he continued to claim that Romney was a liar.[9]

2020 election change

Gingrich has supported Donald Trump's allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 United States presidential election.[10][11]

References change

  1. Gingrich, Newt (June 6, 2023). March to the Majority: The Real Story of the Republican Revolution. Center Street. ISBN 9781546004844.
  2. CNN's biography of Gingrich http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/gingrich.newt.html
  3. Gingrich unloads on Fox News http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/04/12/gingrich_unloads_on_fox_news_in_private_meeting___113818.html
  4. Newt Gingrich biography on Crossfire website http://crossfire.blogs.cnn.com/newt-gingrich/ Archived 2015-03-30 at the Wayback Machine
  5. King Jr., Neil (2011-03-03). "Gingrich Dips Toe in 2012 Waters". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  6. "Gingrich to leave presidential race next Tuesday, sources say". Fox News. 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  7. staff, Pew Research Center: Journalism & Media (2012-05-07). "Gingrich Bows Out as the General Election Battle Takes Shape". Pew Research Center's Journalism Project. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  8. "Gingrich to drop US presidential bid, endorse Romney". France 24. 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  9. Dover, Elicia. "Newt Gingrich Still Thinks Mitt Romney Lied During Campaign". ABC News. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  10. "Gingrich Pushes 'Soros Stole the Election' Conspiracy Theory on Fox News". Haaretz. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
  11. Mastrangelo, Dominick (2020-12-22). "Gingrich won't accept Biden as president, says Democrats, Republicans 'live in alternative worlds'". TheHill. Retrieved 2022-01-24.