USA: NEWT GINGRICH, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ANNOUNCES THAT HE WILL NOT BE SEEKING RENOMINATION FOR THE JOB AFTER MID-TERM ELECTIONS

Record ID: 857419

  • Title: USA: NEWT GINGRICH, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ANNOUNCES THAT HE WILL NOT BE SEEKING RENOMINATION FOR THE JOB AFTER MID-TERM ELECTIONS
  • Date: 7th November 1998
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 06, 1998) (RTV) SV LIVINGSTON SPEAKING TO REPORTERS OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL MCU LIVINGSTON SAYING: "I'M RUNNING AGAINST A FRIEND, AND I DON'T LIKE THAT. THAT'S WHAT WHAT MAKES THIS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT. IT WOULDN'T BE SO DIFFICULT IF I COULDN'T STAND THE GUY. I THINK HE'S A WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING. AND I REALIZE THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
  • Embargoed: 22nd November 1998 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C.; MARIETA, GEORGIA; NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK,
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: General,Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA9XDOXWYL2IXEM3QSN6QWU3ZWS
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Newt Gingrich has become the highest profile victim of the strong showing by Democrats in this week's mid-term election.The Speaker of the House of Representatives, and highest ranking Republican in the country, announced on Friday (November 6) he will not be seeking renomination for the job.
    His announcement came just hours after the first challenger for his job publicly declared his candidacy.
    In a statement issued on Friday evening, Gingrich said "Today i have reached a diffcult personal decision.I will not be a candidate for Speaker of the 106th Congress.
    The republican conference needs to be unified and it is time for me to move forward wher I believe I still have a significant role to play for our country and our party.My Party will have my full support, and I will do all I can to help us win in 2000."
    The final nail in Gingrich's coffin was driven by his close friend and colleague, Representative Bob Livingston of Louisiana.Livingston declared his candidacy for the speaker's position on Friday afternoon (November 6), moderates hoping his quieter tone would salve some of the partisan abrasion caused by Gingrich and his deputies at the height of the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
    Gingrich was blamed for losses in the mid-term election earlier this week -- an election in which, for Republicans at least, the scandal was topic number one.They had hoped they would score big victories by capitalising on the public's distate for U.S.President Bill Clinton's extra-marital affair.
    But, as it turned out, the voters were tired of the scandal altogether and they charged the Republicans -- and Gingrich -- with keeping it forever in the public eye.And in a round of post-electing hand-wringing, the Speaker admitted he miscalculated.
    Newt Gingrich swept the Republicans into the majority of the Congress after 40 years of being in the opposition.He promised a revolution of conservative policies and vowed he would never compromise with the Clinton White House.
    That sort of rhetoric appealed to voters four years ago when Gingrich was heralded a historic political theorist by members of his party.But during the elections, it was clear that voters no longer were buying the Gingrich promise.
    Steve Largent, a former American football great turned politician, announced his candidacy as Livingston's deputy.
    He said Gingrich and company had led the party into an iceberg and now the Congress had to decide whether to retain the crew of the Titanic.
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