Newt Gingrich is entering the "exploratory" phase of a possible presidential run in 2012 against President Barack Obama and a host of Republican challengers. Gingrich's biggest political accomplishments on the national stage arguably happened when he swept into Congress with a Republican majority in the second half of Bill Clinton's presidency. But where are Newt's classmates from 1994? Are they more moderate, or more conservative, than they were some 15 years ago? We speak with former Connecticut Congressman Chris Shays to get an update on the class of '94.
Florida Governor Charlie Crist is expected to announce he is leaving the Republican Party today, and officially begin his campaign for U.S. Senate as an independent. This move comes as polls show Crist trailing challenger Marco Rubio badly in the Republican primary.
The Supreme Court's decision yesterday in Citizens United v. FEC will significantly change the legal landscape for campaign finance, allowing corporations, unions and other organizations to spend as much as they like for ads supporting a particular candidate or party.
Moderate Republican Dede Scozzafava dropped out of the race for the Congressional seat in New York's 23rd District after Republican pundits and voters flocked to the more conservative candidate, Doug Hoffman. Scozzafava eventually endorsed the Democrat's candidate in the race, Bill Owens, who won the election last night. The odd saga raised questions about what kind of future moderates have within the GOP.
We talk to former Rep. Chris Shays (R-Conn.), who was once the face of a now-nearly-extinct group: moderate Republicans in the Northeast. He was in office from 1987 until his defeat in 2009, and is now on the board of directors of the CIT Group and co-chair of the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Click through for a full interview transcript.)
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