Newt Gingrich is scheduled to speak tonight. Do you think he will help or hurt your local congressional candidates this fall?

Fred Dudley - Florida

I personally like the messages which Newt Gingrich has brought into the public debate; I've been aware of his messages for many, many years (via audio tapes). However, I don't always agree with his approach to implementing ideas, and I believe that his impact on local congressional races will depend entirely on the demographics of the individual districts. Where Republican candidates do well, as they do in my hometown, I would expect that Mr. Gingrich's messages will do likewise; where Democrat candidates do well, Mr. Gingrich's messages will probably be used to incite voter dislike for him in particular and for Republicans in general.

Those who have expressed the most concerns to me about Mr. Gingrich admit to never having heard him beyond the "10-second sound bite" and haven't read his speeches in full. Tonight's speech will probably help improve the understanding of those who have not been exposed before to the personal delivery of his messages.

Finally, I believe it is important to remember that he appears to approach politics like he probably does the college students in his classrooms: as an important subject for people to understand and be involved with; he seems much less concerned about his own ego as his is with improving the learning and awareness experiences of others.

Thanks for writing. I hope you will continue watching, listening, thinking and acting on your own behalf.

Jim Fleming - Connecticut
He will help. Gingrich has done more in two years as Speaker than the Democrats did in 30 years. Even if you don't agree with everything Congress has done, at least you must agree that they took on a lot of tough issues, like tax cuts and welfare reform and so many other issues that the country has needed to address for so many years.

Natalie Meyer - Colorado
Newt Gingrich is one of the biggest assets and best leaders of the party. He can only help Colorado's congressional candidates this fall. Coloradoans like the message of less government, fewer regulations, and lower taxes. We like Newt because he kept his word. We like Bob Dole because he is also a man of honor.

Bill Preble - AZ
The 'Contract with America', a Newt Gingrich invention, proposed major change to our status quo. Change of that magnitude doesn't happen without the work of skillful 'change agents'. Newt didn't take this step as he attempted to pass the legislation. It was simple for Clinton to 'scare us to death' and get support for his resistance and vetoes.

Hearing Newt in the past two weeks reveals a changed and more sensitive speaker. I believe he will be more a 'plus' than before. 'My' voters are 'ready'.

Michael Steele - Maryland
I think Newt will be a solid plus for Congressional candidates this fall. After all, it is the Contract With America which has caused Bill Clinton to adopt a more "conservative" tone. As the Speaker of the House, Newt will be able to offer strength and help to many Congressional candidates and they will gladly accept it. You should watch for how many invitations the President gets to campaign with Democrat candidates this fall.

Bob Welch - WI
The Republican party is the party of empowerment, of opportunity, a party that cares about the needs of those who are trapped into a cycle of dependency on welfare, the party that wants more jobs, income escalation, and economic growth. We believe in a smaller government because the government that takes now nearly one-half of your income in taxes, is not your friend, but rather is a thief - stealing the vitality of the American family, causing the economic stress that many American families must deal with these days. Newt Gingrich is the apostle of the new empowerment Republican party. We would not be a majority party is America today were it not for Newt. He has been hounded and personally abused in an unprecedented way by the national media - not because of his style or even his views. He has been abused because he is SUCCESSFUL and Democrats (89% of the national media voted for Bill Clinton) don't want him around to continue to be successful. This has been a revolutionary congress - and it has accomplished a balanced budget plan, welfare reform, and congressional reform without the help of President Clinton. Gingrich is of course an asset.

Dwight Adams - SD
He will be of immense help to our congressional candidate. Our seat is an open seat this election. We are basically a Republican state and the leadership that Newt Gingrich has provided to this Republican congress will be of value to our candidate.