Architect of the 1994 Revolution Hands GOP a Midterm Road Map

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich recently laid out a five-part plan for Republicans to succeed this November, calling it a “road map for victory.” Coincidentally, Sept. 27 marks the anniversary of the day he unveiled the Contract With America in 1994; more than 350 Republican congressional candidates assembled outside the Capitol to sign the document, largely credited with the “Republican Revolution” that handed the GOP control of the House and the Senate. Gingrich’s 2026 plan is not a new Contract With America, but it serves a similar purpose. This midterm, though, Republicans are playing defense.

Gingrich’s New Midterm Strategy

Gingrich outlined the midterm framework in a Fox News piece, arguing Republicans should first use “strategic clarity” and operate in “the deeper reality of what Americans actually believe and how they will behave when presented with a clear choice.” He summarized this part by borrowing a phrase from former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher: “Win the argument, then win the vote."

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Next, he advised the GOP to “make Democrats explain their own party”: Use their words, votes, and proposals to show “voters what leading Democrats are actually saying about immigration, policing, government spending, taxation, energy, healthcare and the role of government.” Third, Gingrich suggested Republicans focus on issues affecting Americans’ daily lives and highlight the progress Republicans have made to “lower costs, grow the economy, create better-paying jobs and increase take-home pay.” He also recommended that Republicans articulate a plan for how they will address these issues in the future.

Fourth, he suggested the GOP focus only on issues that at least 70% of Americans support and make those central to the campaign. Finally, he said the GOP needs a vision for a healthier America: “champion price transparency, greater choice, stronger rural healthcare, direct primary care, new medical technologies and aggressive efforts to eliminate fraud and waste from Medicare and Medicaid.”

Now, two big differences separate this framework from the Contract With America. Gingrich’s 2026 plan is addressed to “Republican candidates, campaign staffs, activists, donors and voters.” The contract, on the other hand, was a promise to voters, a pledge detailing ten bills the GOP would bring to a vote within the first 100 days if it won a House majority. The nationalized effort helped the GOP take back both chambers, regaining control of the House for the first time in 40 years. Back then, however, Republicans were challenging the party in power, aided by President Bill Clinton’s unpopularity and a weak economy. Today, the tables have turned.

Being the party in power during midterms is usually an uphill battle, but this cycle may be even more daunting for the GOP because of Trump’s low approval numbers, a largely unpopular war in Iran, and soaring prices. Gingrich’s framework might not serve the party as well as the Contract With America. However, if candidates and party members unify around the same framework and acknowledge Americans’ pain points while describing what they will do to help in the future, it could go a long way with swing voters. As Gingrich put it: “You do not win elections by avoiding difficult issues. You win by solving them.”