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Newt Gingrich Discusses Presidential Politics During Mississippi College Visit


Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich joins Gov. Phil Bryant for a photo Tuesday at Mississippi College.

Newt Gingrich aired his views on the 2016 race for the White House, global threats, reinventing government and the rapid growth of technology during his visit to Mississippi College.

Addressing 500 guests at MC’s Spring scholarship dinner Tuesday night, the former U.S. House Speaker declared there are no Republican front-runners in the hunt to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama.

It’s a crowded GOP field of about a dozen GOP prospects including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, to name a few. Cruz and Paul already announced their campaigns.

“We have the best field in modern times” for the GOP, Gingrich told the audience that included Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, state Treasurer Lynn Fitch, and Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice William Waller.

With polls showing Jeb Bush leading the GOP pack at 13 percent, “there are no front runners,” he said. At this stage of the GOP’s race for the White House, he said, “nobody will be dominant.” But at this time, many observers believe former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will get the Democratic Party’s nomination for president.

An unsuccessful GOP presidential candidate in 2012, Gingrich promises he will do all he can to help the Republican Party court voters and regain the White House in 2016.

A former Georgia congressman for two decades and leader in the historic Republican Revolution of 1994 that led to his election as speaker, the best-selling author has many GOP friends on the campaign trail.

As speaker, Gingrich reached across the political aisle and worked closely with Democratic President Bill Clinton to address issues like welfare reform and successfully balancing the federal budget.

Today, slashing astronomical federal debts would take years of massive spending cuts, and a strong effort to eliminate government waste and fraud in Washington, Gingrich said.

With MC political science professor Glenn Antizzo tossing questions from the audience, Gingrich tackled global terrorism posed by radical groups like ISIS, and potential threats by Russia’s leader Putin, among other topics.

Asked to identify the voting blocs the Republican Party needs to focus on to win future elections, Gingrich pondered the question for a moment, and joked by saying “men and women.”

Despite huge problems impacting the globe, Gingrich insists he remains an “optimist” who welcomes amazing advances in technology, plus improvements in healthcare and education that will benefit new generations. And that includes the future for the former college professor’s two grandchildren.

Third District U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper praised Gingrich’s address. “Every time I hear Speaker Gingrich give a speech, I come away inspired and full of new ideas that will work,” says Harper, a Mississippi College graduate. “He’s a great leader and historian.”

Earlier in the day, Gingrich touched on job creation and education ideas at a campus news conference. He took questions from students, faculty and Clinton leaders like Mayor Phil Fisher during an appearance at Self Hall, home of the School of Business.

“I enjoyed hearing his views on foreign policy,” said freshman Jared Phillips of Brandon.

As hundreds of guests in the audience at Anderson Hall dined on Beef Wellington, steamed vegetables, and salad, President Lee Royce noted that Gingrich’s April 7 visit to the Clinton campus raised $335,000 for scholarships. Prior to this year’s event, the MC scholarship dinners since 2008 generated over $2 million to help more than 300 students receive an education at the Baptist-affiliated university.