66-603: Newton Leroy Gingrich ( / ˈ ɡ ɪ ŋ ɡ r ɪ tʃ / ; 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
132-598: A breach in social norms and exacerbation of partisan prejudice. Gingrich is a key figure in the 2017 book The Polarizers by Colgate University political scientist Sam Rosenfeld about the American political system's shift to polarization and gridlock. Rosenfeld describes Gingrich as follows, "For Gingrich, responsible party principles were paramount... From the outset, he viewed the congressional minority party's role in terms akin to those found in parliamentary systems, prioritizing drawing stark programmatic contrasts over engaging
198-472: A compromise with Democrats and President Clinton on the federal budget. The agreement called for a federal spending plan designed to reduce the federal deficit and achieve a balanced budget by 2002. The plan included a total of $ 152 billion in bipartisan tax cuts over five years. Other major parts of the spending plan called for $ 115 billion to be saved through a restructuring of Medicare, $ 24 billion set aside to extend health insurance to children of
264-649: A key role in hastening political polarization and partisanship. 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
330-683: A key role in undermining democratic norms in the United States, and hastening political polarization and partisan prejudice. According to Harvard University political scientists Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky , Gingrich's speakership had a profound and lasting impact on American politics and health of American democracy. They argue that Gingrich instilled a "combative" approach in the Republican Party, where hateful language and hyper-partisanship became commonplace, and where democratic norms were abandoned. Gingrich frequently questioned
396-430: A new speaker took office. Every speaker of the House has been a member of a political party or faction ; the number affiliated with each is: 5th The durations mentioned below are calculated based on date differences; if one were to count by the number of calendar days, all the values would be one day longer. Additionally, since many speakers held office for multiple terms, often with non-consecutive periods,
462-457: A part of his career to wiping me out." Charles S. Bullock III , a political science professor at the University of Georgia , said "Speaker Murphy didn't like having a Republican represent him." At the onset of the decade, Gingrich proved to be the only Republican representative of Georgia's 10 congressional districts until 1992 , with the creation of Georgia's 4th congressional district and
528-500: A party-line vote in the House. A disappointing 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. Academics have credited Gingrich with playing
594-551: A primary race against Republican Herman Clark and won a narrow 974 vote victory over Democrat David Worley in the general. Although the district was trending Republican at the national level, conservative Democrats continued to hold most local offices, as well as most of the area's seats in the General Assembly , well into the 1980s. In 1981, Gingrich co-founded the Military Reform Caucus (MRC) and
660-550: A speaker dies, resigns or is removed from the position intra-term. A majority of votes cast (as opposed to a majority of the full membership of the House) is necessary to elect a speaker. If no candidate receives a majority vote, then the roll call is repeated until a speaker is elected. The Constitution does not require the speaker to be an incumbent member of the House, although every speaker thus far has been. Altogether, 56 individuals, from 24 states , have served as speaker of
726-608: A televised event in the White House Rose Garden . House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel characterized Gingrich's revolt as " a thousand points of spite ". Due to population increases recorded in the 1990 United States census , Georgia picked up an additional seat for the 1992 U.S. House elections . However, the Democratic-controlled Georgia General Assembly , under the leadership of fiercely partisan Speaker of
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#1732772872584792-745: A two-party system achieve increasing electoral success as they move closer to the ideological center... Gingrich and his allies believed that an organized effort to intensify the ideological contrast between the congressional parties would allow the Republicans to make electoral inroads in the South. They worked energetically to tie individual Democratic incumbents to the party's more liberal national leadership while simultaneously raising highly charged cultural issues in Congress, such as proposed constitutional amendments to allow prayer in public schools and to ban
858-486: Is instead delegated to members of the House from the majority party. Neither does the speaker regularly participate in floor debates. Additionally, the speaker is second in the presidential line of succession , after the vice president and ahead of the president pro tempore of the Senate . The House elects a new speaker by roll call vote when it first convenes after a general election for its two-year term, or when
924-616: Is shown in the Term of service column of the above table. ( tie ) ( tie ) ( tie ) [REDACTED] This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Federal government of the United States . Harrisburg Hospital UPMC Harrisburg is a 409-bed urban hospital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system. The hospital serves as
990-575: The 1968 Republican primaries . In 1974 , Gingrich made his first bid for political office as the Republican candidate in Georgia's 6th congressional district in north-central Georgia . He lost to 20-year incumbent Democrat Jack Flynt by 2,770 votes. Gingrich's relative success surprised political analysts. Flynt had never faced a serious challenger; Gingrich was the second Republican to ever run against him. He did well against Flynt although 1974
1056-584: The 2016 election . Since 2020, Gingrich has supported Donald Trump's claims of a stolen election, and claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election . [REDACTED] Gingrich was born as Newton Leroy McPherson at the Harrisburg Hospital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania , on June 17, 1943. His mother, Kathleen "Kit" (née Daugherty; 1925–2003), and biological father, Newton Searles McPherson (1923–1970), married in September 1942, when she
1122-639: The House banking scandal , and also criticized Gingrich for moving into the district. After a recount, Gingrich prevailed by 980 votes, with a 51 to 49 percent result. His winning the primary all but assured him of election in November. He was re-elected three times from this district against nominal Democratic opposition. In 1995, Gingrich's 1993 college course, entitled Renewing American Civilization , taught on Saturdays at Reinhardt College in Waleska, Georgia ,
1188-569: The Journal of Politics found that "almost the entire growth in Senate party polarization since the early 1970s can be accounted for by Republican senators who previously served in the House after 1978" when Gingrich was first elected to the House. Gingrich consolidated power in the Speaker's office. Gingrich elevated junior and more ideologically extreme House members to powerful committees, such as
1254-605: The Panama Canal , which was scheduled to occur in 1989 subject to U.S. government approval. Gingrich was outspoken in his opposition to giving control over the canal to an administrator appointed by the dictatorship in Panama . Gingrich and others in the House, including the newly minted Gang of Seven , railed against what they saw as ethical lapses during the nearly 40 years of Democratic control. The House banking scandal and Congressional Post Office scandal were emblems of
1320-463: The Republican nomination for president of the United States. 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. A co-author and architect of
1386-534: The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which placed time limits on welfare assistance and replaced the longstanding Aid to Families with Dependent Children program. Other changes to the welfare system included stricter conditions for food stamp eligibility, reductions in immigrant welfare assistance, and work requirements for recipients. The bill was signed into law by President Clinton on August 22, 1996. In his 1998 book Lessons Learned
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#17327728725841452-467: The working poor , tax credits for college tuition, and a $ 2 billion welfare-to-work jobs initiative. President Clinton signed the budget legislation in August 1997. At the signing, Gingrich gave credit to ordinary Americans stating, "It was their political will that brought the two parties together." In early 1998, with the economy performing better than expected, increased tax revenues helped reduce
1518-535: 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". As House Speaker, Gingrich oversaw passage by the House of welfare reform in 1996 and a capital gains tax cut in 1997. Gingrich played a key role in several government shutdowns , and impeached President Bill Clinton on
1584-742: The "opportunity society" ideas for his 1984 re-election campaign, supporting the group's conservative goals on economic growth, education, crime, and social issues. He had not emphasized these during his first term. Reagan also referred to an "opportunity" society in the first State of the Union address of his second term. In March 1988, Gingrich voted against the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 (as well as to uphold President Reagan's veto). In May 1988, Gingrich (along with 77 other House members and Common Cause ) brought ethics charges against Democratic Speaker Jim Wright , who
1650-500: The 1994 Contract with America was the promise of a balanced federal budget . After the end of the government shutdown, Gingrich and other Republican leaders acknowledged that Congress would not be able to draft a balanced budget in 1996. Instead, they opted to approve some small reductions that were already approved by the White House and to wait until the next election season. By May 1997, Republican congressional leaders reached
1716-516: The Appropriations Committee, which over time led to the obliteration of internal norms in the committees. Term limits were also imposed on committee chairs, which prevented Republican chairs from developing a power base separate from the Republican Party. As a result, the power of Gingrich was strengthened and there was an increase in conformity among Republican congresspeople. A central pledge of President Bill Clinton 's campaign
1782-540: The Congo 1945–1960. Gingrich received deferments from the military during the years of the Vietnam War for being a student and a father. In 1985, he stated, "Given everything I believe in, a large part of me thinks I should have gone over." In 1970, Gingrich joined the history department at West Georgia College , where he spent "little time teaching history." He coordinated a new environmental studies program and
1848-633: The Congressional Aviation and Space Caucus. During the 1983 congressional page sex scandal , Gingrich was among those calling for the expulsion of representatives Dan Crane and Gerry Studds . Gingrich supported a proposal to ban loans from the International Monetary Fund to Communist countries and he endorsed a bill to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a new federal holiday. In 1983, Gingrich founded
1914-522: The Conservative Opportunity Society (COS), a group that included young conservative House Republicans. Early COS members included Robert Smith Walker , Judd Gregg , Dan Coats and Connie Mack III . The group gradually expanded to include several dozen representatives, who met each week to exchange and develop ideas. Gingrich's analysis of polls and public opinion identified the group's initial focus. Ronald Reagan adopted
1980-610: The Democrats who held majorities in the House and Senate, President George H. W. Bush reached a deficit reduction package which contained tax increases despite his campaign promise of " read my lips: no new taxes ". Gingrich led a revolt that defeated the initial appropriations package and led to the 1990 United States federal government shutdown . The deal was supported by the President and Congressional leaders from both parties after long negotiations, but Gingrich walked out during
2046-456: The Hard Way , Gingrich encouraged volunteerism and spiritual renewal, placing more importance on families, creating tax incentives and reducing regulations for businesses in poor neighborhoods, and increasing property ownership by low-income families. He also praised Habitat for Humanity for sparking the movement to improve people's lives by helping them build their own homes. A key aspect of
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2112-649: The House Tom Murphy , specifically targeted Gingrich, eliminating the district Gingrich represented. Gerrymandering split Gingrich's territory among three neighboring districts. Much of the southern portion of Gingrich's district, including his home in Carrollton , was drawn into the Columbus -based 3rd district , represented by five-term Democrat Richard Ray . Gingrich remarked that "The Speaker, by raising money and gerrymandering, has sincerely dedicated
2178-493: The House and Senate and was signed into law on January 23, 1995. List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives The speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives . The office was established in 1789 by Article I, Section 2 , of the U.S. Constitution . The speaker is the political and parliamentary leader of
2244-420: The House for the first time since 1954. Long-time House Minority Leader Bob Michel of Illinois had not run for re-election, giving Gingrich, the highest-ranking Republican returning to Congress, the inside track at becoming Speaker. The midterm election that turned congressional power over to Republicans "changed the center of gravity" in the nation's capital. Time magazine named Gingrich its 1995 " Man of
2310-423: The House, and is simultaneously the body's presiding officer , the de facto leader of the body's majority party , and the institution's administrative head. Speakers also perform various administrative and procedural functions, all in addition to representing their own congressional district . Given these several roles and responsibilities, the speaker usually does not personally preside over debates. That duty
2376-607: The House. The House has elected a speaker 128 times since 1789: at the start of each of the 118 congresses, plus on 10 occasions when a vacancy arose during a Congress via death, resignation, or motion to vacate . Of the 56 people who have served as speaker of the House over the past 235 years, 32 served multiple terms; seven of them served nonconsecutive terms: Frederick Muhlenberg , Henry Clay , John W. Taylor , Thomas Brackett Reed , Joseph W. Martin Jr. , Sam Rayburn , and Nancy Pelosi . Altogether, there have been 65 occasions on which
2442-507: The President to approve their welfare legislation. In 1996, after constructing two welfare reform bills that Clinton vetoed, Gingrich and his supporters pushed for passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act , which was intended to reconstruct the welfare system. The act gave state governments more autonomy over welfare delivery, while also reducing the federal government's responsibilities. It instituted
2508-462: The Republican caucus . In March 1989, Gingrich became House Minority Whip in a close election against Edward Rell Madigan . This was Gingrich's first formal position of power within the Republican party. He said his intention was to "build a much more aggressive, activist party". Early in his role as Whip, in May 1989, Gingrich was involved in talks about the appointment of a Panamanian administrator of
2574-533: The Republican Party. According to a 2018 study, Christian conservatism had become firmly ingrained in the Republican Party's policy platforms by 2000. Yale University congressional scholar David Mayhew describes Gingrich as profoundly influential, saying "In Gingrich, we have as good a case as we are likely to see of a member of Congress operating in the public sphere with consequence." In 1997 Speaker Gingrich visited Taiwan as well as Beijing in mainland China. A number of scholars have credited Gingrich with playing
2640-599: The Republican gains of Jack Kingston and Mac Collins . The Assembly created a new, heavily Republican 6th district in Fulton and Cobb counties in the wealthy northern suburbs of Atlanta—an area that Gingrich had never represented. Gingrich sold his home in Carrollton and moved to Marietta in the new district. His primary opponent, State Representative Herman Clark, who had challenged Gingrich two years earlier, made an issue out of Gingrich's 22 overdraft checks in
2706-503: The Year " for his role in the election. The House fulfilled Gingrich's promise to bring all ten of the Contract's issues to a vote within the first 100 days of the session. President Clinton called it the "Contract on America". Legislation proposed by the 104th United States Congress included term limits for Congressional Representatives, tax cuts , welfare reform, and a balanced budget amendment , as well as independent auditing of
Newt Gingrich - Misplaced Pages Continue
2772-473: The agenda for the reduction in capital gains tax, especially in the "Contract with America", which set out to balance the budget and implement decreases in estate and capital gains tax. Some Republicans felt that the compromise reached with Clinton on the budget and tax act was inadequate, however Gingrich has stated that the tax cuts were a significant accomplishment for the Republican Congress in
2838-441: The burning of the American flag, on which conservative positions were widely popular – especially among southern voters. Gingrich's view was however vindicated with the Republican Party's success in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, sometimes referred to as the "Gingrich Revolution." Hopkins writes, "More than any speaker before or since, Gingrich had become both the strategic architect and public face of his party." One consequence of
2904-875: The exposed corruption. Gingrich himself was among members of the House who had written NSF checks on the House bank. He had overdrafts on twenty-two checks, including a $ 9,463 check to the Internal Revenue Service in 1990. In 1990, after consulting focus groups with the help of pollster Frank Luntz , GOPAC distributed a memo with a cover letter signed by Gingrich titled "Language, a Key Mechanism of Control", that encouraged Republicans to "speak like Newt". It contained lists of "contrasting words"—words with negative connotations such as "radical", "sick," and "traitors"—and "optimistic positive governing words" such as "opportunity", "courage", and "principled", that Gingrich recommended for use in describing Democrats and Republicans, respectively. During negotiations with
2970-536: The face of opposition from the Clinton administration. Gingrich along with Bob Dole had earlier set-up the Kemp Commission , headed by former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Jack Kemp , a tax reform commission that made several recommendations including that dividends, interest, and capital gains should be untaxed. Among the first pieces of legislation passed by the new Congress under Gingrich
3036-475: The federal budget deficit to below $ 25 billion. Clinton submitted a balanced budget for 1999, three years ahead of schedule originally proposed, making it the first time the federal budget had been balanced since 1969. In 1997, President Clinton signed into effect the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 , which included the largest capital gains tax cut in U.S. history. Under the act, the profits on
3102-505: The finances of the House of Representatives and elimination of non-essential services such as the House barbershop and shoe-shine concessions. Following Gingrich's first two years as House Speaker, the Republican majority was re-elected in the 1996 election, the first time Republicans had done so in 68 years and the first time in 80 years that they won a House election simultaneous to a Democratic president being re-elected. As Speaker, Gingrich sought to increasingly tie Christian conservatism to
3168-551: The hub for the UPMC network, providing care to the residents throughout southcentral Pennsylvania. UPMC Harrisburg is a teaching facility providing inpatient and outpatient services. Specialties include women's health, cardiovascular care and orthopedic, stroke, and rehabilitative services. Physician residency programs exist on-site for family practice, internal medicine, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedic surgery, and general surgery. In November 2020 UPMC announced
3234-467: The increasing nationalization of politics was that moderate Republican incumbents in blue states were left more vulnerable to electoral defeat. According to University of Texas political scientist Sean M. Theriault, Gingrich had a profound influence on other Republican lawmakers, in particular those who served with him in the House, as they adopted his obstructionist tactics. A 2011 study by Theriault and Duke University political scientist David W. Rohde in
3300-429: The majority party as junior participants in governance." Boston College political scientist David Hopkins writes that Gingrich helped to nationalize American politics in a way where Democratic politicians on the state and local level were increasingly tied to the national Democratic party and President Clinton. Hopkins notes that Gingrich's view directly contradicted the conventional wisdom of politics... that parties in
3366-547: The new Congress, if they won the election. The contract was signed by Gingrich and other Republican candidates for the House of Representatives. The contract ranged from issues such as welfare reform , term limits , crime, and a balanced budget /tax limitation amendment, to more specialized legislation such as restrictions on American military participation in United Nations missions. In the November 1994 midterm elections , Republicans gained 54 seats and took control of
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#17327728725843432-525: The opening of the new pediatric unit at UPMC Harrisburg. The new unit was opened in partnership with the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and consist of 26-pediatric-beds. The unit treats infants, children, teens, and young adults age 0-21. The unit is named "UPMC Children’s Harrisburg" and features telemedicine connections to the main hospital in Pittsburgh. In May 2021 UPMC announced
3498-483: The patriotism of Democrats, called them corrupt, compared them to fascists , and accused them of wanting to destroy the United States. Gingrich furthermore oversaw several major government shutdowns. University of Maryland political scientist Lilliana Mason identified Gingrich's instructions to Republicans to use words such as "betray, bizarre, decay, destroy, devour, greed, lie, pathetic, radical, selfish, shame, sick, steal, and traitors" about Democrats as an example of
3564-493: The sale of a personal residence ($ 500,000 for married couples, $ 250,000 for singles) were exempted if lived in for at least two of the previous five years. (This had previously been limited to a $ 125,000 once-in-a-lifetime exemption for those over the age of 55.) There were also reductions in a number of other taxes on investment gains. Additionally, the act raised the value of inherited estates and gifts that could be sheltered from taxation. Gingrich has been credited with creating
3630-664: The site of the Battle of Verdun and learned about the sacrifices made there and the importance of political leadership. Gingrich received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Emory University in Atlanta in 1965. He went on to graduate study at Tulane University , earning an M.A. (1968) and a PhD in European history (1971). He spent six months in Brussels in 1969–1970 working on his dissertation, Belgian Education Policy in
3696-483: The time listed for each speaker represents the total length of their time as speaker. It is important to note that the period between the adjournment of one Congress and the convening of the next Congress is not included in the calculations. For instance, Nathaniel Macon served as speaker during both the 8th and 9th Congresses, but the eight-month gap between the two Congresses is not included in his service duration. The exact dates of service for each individual speaker
3762-442: The vote in his native Georgia. Gingrich lost his race by 5,100 votes. As Gingrich primed for another run in the 1978 elections , Flynt decided to retire. Gingrich defeated Democratic State Senator Virginia Shapard by 7,500 votes. Gingrich was re-elected five times from this district, before it was modified by redistricting. He faced a close general election race once—in the House elections of 1990 —when he won by 978 votes in
3828-409: Was televised on the cable channel, Mind Extension University . In the 1994 campaign season , in an effort to offer an alternative to Democratic policies and to unite distant wings of the Republican Party, Gingrich and several other Republicans came up with a Contract with America , which laid out 10 policies that Republicans promised to bring to a vote on the House floor during the first 100 days of
3894-618: Was 16 and McPherson was 19. The marriage fell apart within days. He is of English , German , Scottish and Scots-Irish descent. In 1946, his mother married Robert Gingrich (1925–1996), who adopted him. Robert Gingrich was a career Army officer who served tours in Korea and Vietnam. In 1956, the family moved to Europe, living for a period in Orléans , France and Stuttgart , Germany. Gingrich has three younger half-siblings from his mother, Candace and Susan Gingrich, and Roberta Brown. Gingrich
3960-589: Was a disastrous year for Republican candidates nationally due to fallout from the Watergate scandal of the Nixon administration. Gingrich sought a rematch against Flynt in 1976. While the Republicans did slightly better in the 1976 House elections than in 1974 nationally, the Democratic candidate in the 1976 presidential election was former Governor of Georgia Jimmy Carter . Carter won more than two-thirds of
4026-464: Was alleged to have used a book deal to circumvent campaign-finance laws and House ethics rules. During the investigation, it was reported that Gingrich had his own unusual book deal, for Window of Opportunity, in which publicity expenses were covered by a limited partnership . It raised $ 105,000 from Republican political supporters to promote sales of Gingrich's book. Gingrich's success in forcing Wright's resignation contributed to his rising influence in
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#17327728725844092-507: Was considered a potential frontrunner at several points in the race. 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
4158-444: Was moved from the history to the geography department by 1976. During his time in the college, he took unpaid leave three times to run for the U.S. House of Representatives , losing twice before leaving the college. Serving professors were not allowed under the rules of the university system to run for office. He left the college in 1977 after being denied tenure. Gingrich was the southern regional director for Nelson Rockefeller in
4224-642: Was raised in Hummelstown (near Harrisburg) and on military bases where his adoptive father was stationed. The family's religion was Lutheran . He also has a half-sister and half-brother, Randy McPherson, from his biological father's side. In 1960 during his junior year in high school, the family moved to Georgia at Fort Moore . In 1961, Gingrich graduated from Baker High School in Columbus, Georgia , where he met, and later married, his math teacher. He had been interested in politics since his teen years. While living with his family in Orléans , France, he visited
4290-660: Was the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 , which subjected members of Congress to the same laws that apply to businesses and their employees, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 . As a provision of the Contract with America, the law was symbolic of the new Republican majority's goal to remove some of the entitlements enjoyed by Congress. The bill received near universal acceptance from
4356-490: Was to reform the welfare system, adding changes such as work requirements for recipients. However, by 1994, the Clinton administration appeared to be more concerned with pursuing a universal health care program. Gingrich accused Clinton of stalling on welfare, and proclaimed that Congress could pass a welfare reform bill in as little as 90 days. He insisted that the Republican Party would continue to apply political pressure on
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