Former 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate
Former Speaker of the House
Newt Gingrich
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The former Speaker of the House of Representatives was once one of the brightest stars of the Republican Party. Together with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, Gingrich masterminded the Contract with America campaign that saw the Republicans wresting control of the House from the Democrats for the first time in 40 years. He became the de facto head of the party and led the Republicans with a no-holds barred and bruising approach against the Clinton-led Democrats that at one stage, even saw the federal government shutting down. However, his abrasive style eventually saw him losing control of the House, and he resigned from his position as Speaker under threat of mutiny.
Yet, those who believe that Gingrich is a spent force and belongs to another era of partisan politics should do some quick rethinking, preferably with a calculator close by. In the one year period between 2009 to 2010, Gingrich raised a total of $32 million for his then undecided campaign; a figure which is more than ALL of his fellow Republican presidential aspirants - combined - managed to amass. The 67-year old may have burnt many bridges in Washington during his time there, but he remains one of the most recognizable Republican figures in the country, and in the absence of a nationally recognized Republican candidate (barring Romney and Palin), this may very well become a deciding factor.
The intellectual Gingrich, who has spent the majority of the past decade writing semi-historical works of fiction, is known as an out-of-the box thinker, and is perfectly capable of standing toe-to-toe with the cerebral President Obama. His grasps on most of the issues affecting the country is second to none, although, there are concerns that his position sometimes appears to shift in concert with prevailing public sentiments. He is also a very formidable opponent in a debate, a fact that many would willingly attest to. The thought of a debate involving Gingrich, fellow Republican Ron Paul and President Obama has left many salivating at the prospects.
However, Gingrich continues to be saddled with baggage involving his private life, and there is a fear that he will once again emerge as a divisive figure within the party and ruin the chances of Mitt Romney, who still remains the party’s most viable candidate to take on Obama.
Official Gingrich website - newt.org
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