Why was Newt Gingrich a significant political figure in the 1990s?

Newt Gingrich became Speaker of the House in 1995, after Republicans won control of the House of Representatives in the 1994 elections. He was the first Republican Speaker in 40 years, making B the correct answer. He was a Republican leader, not a challenger for the Democratic presidential nomination, and his Contract with America supported tax cuts.

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