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Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich will appear at С����Ƶ on March 23. Gingrich achieved prominence as the architect of the “Contract with America” in the mid-1990s and remains an active and well-recognized political figure through his contributions to broadcast and cable news and authorship of several best-selling books.

“The Virtues of Free Markets: An Evening with Hon. Newt Gingrich” is presented by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics and is part of the University’s Hennessy Family Lecture on Capitalism series, which was inaugurated last year with an appearance by writer, scholar and public intellectual Dinesh D'Souza. 

“For decades, Gingrich has exerted a major influence on politics in the United States, repeatedly shaking up the status quo through his leadership in the Republican Party,” said Dr. Ben Dworkin, director of the Rebovich Institute. “His appearance is a wonderful opportunity for our students and the general public to engage with a person whose ideas have helped shape America.”

Gingrich is perhaps best known for co-authoring the “Contract with America,” and leading the Republican Party to victory in 1994 by capturing the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years. He was first elected to Congress in 1978 where he served the Sixth District of Georgia for 20 years. In 1995, he was elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives where he served until 1999.

Gingrich was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 2012, winning the South Carolina and the Georgia primaries. In 2016, he was a vocal supporter of the candidacy of Donald Trump, which began as a longshot and ended with an election-night victory.

Before Gingrich’s election to Congress, he taught history and environmental studies at West Georgia College for eight years. He holds a bachelor’s from Emory University and a master’s and doctorate in modern European history from Tulane University.

He is also an author, having published 29 books (both fiction and nonfiction). Fourteen of them have become New York Times best-sellers. Gingrich and his wife, Callista, host and produce historical and public policy documentaries.

As part of Rider's commitment to student-centered learning, Gingrich will spend time exclusively with Rebovich students prior to the speech. The Institute, which is dedicated to public service and scholarly analysis of government, public policy, campaigns and elections in New Jersey, plays an integral role in assisting students with research projects, internships, service learning opportunities, job placement and overall career development. Founded in 2001 by the late Professor David Rebovich (1949–2007), it is a dynamic and creative home where students can network, study and gain practical experience in New Jersey politics.

“The Virtues of Free Markets: An Evening with Hon. Newt Gingrich” is free and open to the public. Seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are requested at www.rider.edu/gingrich.

This program is generously supported by the Hennessy Fund.

“We are incredibly grateful to Mike Hennessy '82 and his family for their generosity,” Dworkin says. “By sponsoring this lecture series, he is helping to expose students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as the greater community, to important voices in the country's political life.”

Photo/Gage Skidmore