Gingrich celebrates his re-election on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, November 5) -- House Speaker Newt Gingrich is canvassing GOP House members to assess their dissatisfaction with his leadership and their displeasure with the Republican agenda -- but he has no plans to step down.

Gingrich spoke to more than 20 members Wednesday and was calling more Thursday, several Republican sources told CNN. According to these sources, one potential challenger, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bob Livingston (R-Louisiana), told Gingrich he should consider stepping down. But Gingrich did not respond.

In this story:

• Gingrich admits strategy mistakes
• Monica and morality

The speaker also spoke to House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) on Wednesday and one source familiar with that conversation says DeLay committed to supporting the speaker. Other GOP sources, however, said DeLay aides were contacting other Republican members to assess the level of intensity for a challenge to the speaker or other members of the Republican leadership.

Livingston is also canvassing his House colleagues and plans a decision by Friday.

Republicans, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the name of Rep. David McIntosh (R-Indiana) has also surfaced as a potential rival to Gingrich.

Gingrich is not inclined to make major changes in the leadership, associates say, but is likely to offer to put the job of chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee up for election before the House GOP Conference. Many rank-and-file members are unhappy with Gingrich's hand-picked choice for that job, Georgia Republican John Linder.

Democrats are relishing the GOP feuding.

"We want them to take him on but not take him out. Newt is good for us," said one prominent House Democrat.

Republicans stung Tuesday by disappointing election returns began talking Wednesday -- some of them publicly -- about a leadership change that could cost Gingrich his post.

But Gingrich, warned by fellow Republicans Wednesday that some GOP House members favor a "Dump Newt" movement, continues to downplay talk of a challenge.

House Republicans meet in two weeks to decide who will lead them in the next Congress.

The lack of a clear Republican message in the midterm elections, combined with unexpectedly high black voter turnout, led to surprising Democratic gains in Tuesday's balloting. In addition to a play by Livingston, other Republican names have emerged from the behind-the-scenes maneuvering among Republicans:

• In a conference call with party leaders, the speaker was warned to "watch your back, people are making moves," one top congressional Republican told CNN.

• Rep. Steve Largent (R-Oklahoma) is also mentioned as a potential challenger for a leadership post, possibly that of House Majority Leader Dick Armey of Texas.

The election left the 55-45 GOP majority in the Senate unchanged and whittled the Republican majority in the House to a tentative 223-210, with one Democrat-leaning Independent.

One open seat in Oregon, expected to remain in Democratic hands, remained undecided because of a large number of absentee ballots.

Despite the Republican setback, Gingrich, of Georgia, waved off threats to his position, saying potential opponents start from a weak base. Although the GOP majority in the House had a net loss of five seats in Tuesday's election, the results mark the first time in 70 years that a Republican majority has lasted three straight terms.

"It's pretty hard to argue that the only team to have been successful in 70 years somehow ought to be replaced by somebody who has not ever won a nationwide election," Gingrich said Wednesday.

Nevertheless, Gingrich admitted he might have done things differently if he had it to do over again, including focusing on tax cuts and other substantive issues. And between Gingrich's celebratory statements about the returning GOP majority were signs of bewilderment over Tuesday's results.

"I frankly don't understand all of the things that happened yesterday, and I'm not sure anyone else in America does either," Gingrich said.

Republicans were openly questioning the strategic decisions that Gingrich and other top Republicans made to focus on President Bill Clinton's behavior in the Monica Lewinsky matter while they negotiated away hard-won gains during Congress' end-of-session budget battle.

"When Republicans try to tell the American people what they should think about someone else's morality, we get thumped," said Mark Miller, head of the moderate Republican Leadership Council.

Conservative Republicans said the problem wasn't the focus on morality but the lack of any other agenda beyond Clinton's behavior.

"There's going to be a lot of tough questions asked of those (Republicans) in charge," said Randy Tate, executive director of the Christian Coalition. "The returns show that if that is your one obsession, and you have nothing else to offer and no other agenda, you're going to have problems."

CNN's John King and Bob Franken and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Thursday, November 5, 1998

• Philadelphia will host 2000 Republican National Convention
• Speaker reaching out to members to gauge dissatisfaction
• Clinton-Jones settlement talks break off
• Clinton asked to 'admit or deny' Starr report facts
• Clinton turns to health care bill
• Clinton-Gore contributor indicted

Election '98
• Measure to boost California's cigarette tax still undecided
• Democrat Wu wins last undecided House race
• Ex-baseball player Hrbek turned down Ventura offer
• Texas Gov. Bush stays mum on presidential run
• Voter turnout was about 37 percent
• Moseley-Braun won't run again

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