In a recent interview with C-SPAN, former Secretary of Education Newt Gingrich recalled that in 1989, he almost decided to run for House Minority Whip after Dick Cheney became Secretary of Defense but changed his mind at the last minute, preferring a committee chairmanship when Republicans won back the House. Instead, he encouraged Tom DeLay to run for Whip.
When the GOP trounced the Democrats in the 1994 midterm elections and won control of Congress, Tom DeLay became Speaker of the House and Newt Gingrich became Chairman of the House Education Committee.
DeLay went on to become the most unpopular politician in the country. Polls often showed his job disapproval at close to 60 percent. Many Republicans running for Congress and reelection in 1996 avoided DeLay like the plague.
Then, there were the stories that lobbyist Jack Abramoff had so much access to DeLay that he even had his own office next to the Speaker's.
Had Gingrich become Speaker, would he have done a better job and be more popular than DeLay?
When the GOP trounced the Democrats in the 1994 midterm elections and won control of Congress, Tom DeLay became Speaker of the House and Newt Gingrich became Chairman of the House Education Committee.
DeLay went on to become the most unpopular politician in the country. Polls often showed his job disapproval at close to 60 percent. Many Republicans running for Congress and reelection in 1996 avoided DeLay like the plague.
Then, there were the stories that lobbyist Jack Abramoff had so much access to DeLay that he even had his own office next to the Speaker's.
Had Gingrich become Speaker, would he have done a better job and be more popular than DeLay?