Speaking at a breakfast earlier today, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich wanted listeners to know he "doesn't see himself as a Washington figure." Does this mean Gingrich will try and save his campaign after slamming Paul Ryan's budget by rhetorically becoming the "anti-establishment" candidate? Despite being the textbook definition of a GOP Washington-establishment elite candidate?
Gingrich railed against the Washington establishment in a breakfast Monday hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, claiming the mantle of the "change" candidate in the field of GOP presidential aspirants.
"I'm not a Washington figure, despite the years I've been here," Gingrich said. "I'm essentially an American whose ties are across the country and is interested in how you change Washington, not how you make Washington happy."
Gingrich was first elected to Congress in 1978, where he remained until 1999, when he resigned both the Speakership and his seat in Congress. In the time since, he's set up a network of organizations (colloquially known as "Newt Inc.") based in Washington. He's made his home in the D.C. suburbs.
But as the former Speaker has pivoted to waging a campaign for the Republican nomination, he's turned against Washington, and has sought to frame himself as an outsider. He's based his campaign headquarters in Georgia, one of whose districts he represented in Congress.
Good luck with that uphill battle, Newt.