Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich announced on Wednesday that he is officially running for the Republican presidential nomination. Gingrich had announced the formation of an exploratory committee in early March.
"I'm Newt Gingrich, and I'm announcing my candidacy for president of the United States because I believe we can return America to hope and opportunity, to full employment, to real security, to an American energy program, to a balanced budget, said Gingrich.
Gingrich released a video Wednesday in which he touched on his record and his work with Ronald Reagans administration during the 1980s.
While Gingrich has placed third or fourth in most early polls, his numbers have been taking a step back recently. While almost every poll had found that Gingrich has placed behind two candidates who ran for the Republican nomination in 2008 -- former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee -- Gingrich has usually run even with or closely behind former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. There have been some polls showing him in single digits while others have shown the former House speaker lagging behind billionaire businessman Donald Trump.
Most polls have found Gingrich ahead of the other possible candidates in the field, including former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, former Gov. George Pataki of New York, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore of Alabama, businessman Herman Cain and activist Fred Karger.
First elected to Congress in 1978, Gingrich, who is 67, wielded the gavel for four years after the Republicans took control of Congress for the first time in four decades after the 1994 elections. During that time, Gingrich commanded attention, including being named Time magazines Man of the Year back in 1995 for his leadership style and confrontations with Democrats led by then-President Bill Clinton. While Gingrich was able to lead Republicans to some victories in implementing the Contract With America, including welfare reform, the Republican majority failed to deliver on passing term limits and a federal balanced budget amendment. Gingrich was blamed by a good section of the American public for the federal government shutdown in 1995 and was targeted by a leadership challenge from fellow Republicans and faced accusations about ethics violations.
After the Republicans lost seats in the 1998 election cycle, Gingrich stepped down as speaker and left Congress. Since that time, Gingrich has been advising Republicans on policy, writing books and producing documentary films with his third wife, Callista. Gingrichs political sites prominently feature his wife, with whom he began a romantic relationship in 1993 while still married to his second wife.
The former speaker considered entering the 2008 Republican presidential primaries but declined to do so. Gingrich converted from the Southern Baptist faith to Roman Catholicism in 2009.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
