Newt Gingrich served as Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999, the first Republican to do so since 1954. First elected to Congress in 1978, Gingrich authored the Contract with America, which was widely credited with ushering in Republican victories in the 1994 midterm elections. He has written 20 best-selling books, including 11 works of historical fiction. Gingrich spoke at the Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas as the inaugural Robert J. Dole Distinguished Visiting Fellow.