Newton Leroy 'Newt' Gingrich has been in politics since 1978. He stepped down as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1999, but is back chasing the Republican nomination for 2012.
Gingrich grew up in Pennsylvania, and earned a Ph.D at Tulane University. He went on to teach history and geography in West Georgia during the 1970s.
He is 68, and has been married three times. He has two children, and has changed faith twice, most recently converting to Catholicism in 2009.
Gingrich's platform for the Republican nomination centres around jobs and growth, based on his record as house Speaker.
He plans to nix 2013 tax increases and attempt to lure foreign investors to the US by reducing corporate income tax.
He also believes a 'flat tax' of 15 per cent would save billions. He plans to implement Reagan-era policies to stop inflation, and remove obstacles to a home-grown energy industry.
Gingrich - like all Republican candidates - has vowed to repeal Obama's universal health care plan.
He has vowed to crack down on illegal immigrants, oppose changes to gun laws (he's a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association) ans defend the marriage act. He is strongly opposed to abortion.
He openly recommends nominating conservative judges to the Supreme Court, slamming 'radicals' currently on the bench.
Gingrich purports to protect religious expression, but his website only refers to 'crosses and menorahs', essentially excluding Islam.
Gingrich's personal life has caused some controversy. He had an affair while married to his first wife, who was fighting cancer. Gingrich blamed the indiscretion on the fact that he'd been working hard due to his love of America.
He then married the woman with whom he was having an affair, only to leave her in 2000 for a House of Representatives staffer, 23 years his junior. He was also having an affair with her while heading the Republican bid to remove Bill Clinton from office over the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
He has co-authored 23 books, including some about animals. He is a known dinosaur enthusiast.
Watch one of Gingrich's campaign ads:
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