Newt Gingrich
American politician and author (born 1943) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Newton Leroy Gingrich (/ˈɡɪŋɡrɪtʃ/; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U.S. representative for Georgia's 6th congressional district serving north Atlanta and nearby areas from 1979 until his resignation in 1999. In 2012, Gingrich unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for president of the United States.
Newt Gingrich | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Gingrich in 2022 | |
| 50th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives | |
| In office January 4, 1995 – January 3, 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Foley |
| Succeeded by | Dennis Hastert |
| Leader of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Robert H. Michel |
| Succeeded by | Dennis Hastert |
| House Minority Whip | |
| In office March 20, 1989 – January 3, 1995 | |
| Leader | Robert H. Michel |
| Preceded by | Dick Cheney |
| Succeeded by | David Bonior |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 6th district | |
| In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1999 | |
| Preceded by | John Flynt |
| Succeeded by | Johnny Isakson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Newton Leroy McPherson (1943-06-17) June 17, 1943 (age 80) Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Jackie Battley
(m. 1962; div. 1981)Marianne Ginther
(m. 1981; div. 2000) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Candace Gingrich (maternal half-sibling) |
| Education | Emory University (BA) Tulane University (MA, PhD) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Official website |
Gingrich speaks in support of an amendment involving land swaps to an agriculture appropriations bill Recorded February 29, 1996 | |
In the 1970s, Gingrich was a professor of history and geography at the University of West Georgia. He won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 1978, the first Republican in the history of Georgia's 6th congressional district to do so. He served as House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995.[1][2] A co-author and architect of the "Contract with America", Gingrich was a major leader in the Republican victory in the 1994 congressional election. In 1995, Time named him "Man of the Year" for "his role in ending the four-decades-long Democratic majority in the House".[3]
As House Speaker, Gingrich oversaw passage by the House of welfare reform and a capital gains tax cut in 1997. Gingrich played a key role in several government shutdowns, and impeached President Bill Clinton on a party-line vote in the House. A showing by Republicans in the 1998 congressional elections, a reprimand from the House for Gingrich's ethics violation, and pressure from Republican colleagues resulted in Gingrich's announcing that he would not run for the speakership in the upcoming congress, resigning from the House on January 3, 1999, the same day his term as speaker ended.[4] Academics have credited Gingrich with playing a key role in hastening political polarization and partisanship.[5][6][7][8][9][page needed]
Since leaving the House, Gingrich has remained active in public policy debates and worked as a political consultant. He founded and chaired several policy think tanks, including American Solutions for Winning the Future and the Center for Health Transformation. Gingrich ran for the Republican nomination for president in the 2012 presidential election, and was considered a potential frontrunner at several points in the race.[10] Despite a late victory in the South Carolina primary, Gingrich was ultimately unable to win enough primaries to sustain a viable candidacy. He withdrew from the race in May 2012, and endorsed eventual nominee Mitt Romney. Gingrich later emerged as a key ally of President Donald Trump, and was reportedly among the finalists on Trump's short list for running mate in the 2016 election.[11] Since 2020, Gingrich has supported Donald Trump's claims of a stolen election claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.[12]