The years between 1981 and 1989 featured a slow fracturing of what had been long-standing comity in the House, a fracturing pushed in large part by Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and his allies in the Conservative Opportunity Society. Confrontation between the two parties escalated, such as when Speaker Tip O’Neill (D-Mass.) embarrassed Rep. Bob Walker (R-Pa.) live on C-SPAN in what became known as “Camscam” by directing camera operators to reveal that Walker was speaking to an empty chamber, or when Democrats seated Frank McCloskey in a highly controversial move, settling for themselves a highly contested election in Indiana’s 8th District. And, finally, Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.), in reaction to the GOP’s increasing refusal to compromise, ruled the House with an iron fist.
Democrats’ increasingly aggressive tactics and GOP frustration over remaining in the minority fueled determination among Republicans to take a more confrontational line. By the time the President George H.W. Bush selected Dick Cheney, who had just become Republican whip, to be defense secretary in March 1989, the House GOP conference was looking to move in a new direction. The race to replace Cheney came down to Gingrich, known as a pugnacious partisan and ready fighter, and the well-respected Ed Madigan (R-Ill.)
The candidates had different visions for the job of whip. Madigan had a long history as a legislator and consensus-builder. He worked well with Democrats while holding the Republican line, and he saw the position as it traditionally worked, as head vote-counter. He also believed that too much confrontation would simply make the party irrelevant.
Gingrich worked to tone down his image as a partisan warrior, contending that he could work with Democrats, pointing to his record on the Public Works Committee. However, he also made no secret about the fact that he was going in as a fighter with a vision to lead the GOP into the majority, proclaiming that “I am a national leader who serves in the House.” For Gingrich, politics was about gaining power, not legislating, and he was willing to tear down the old order to get there.
Gingrich won by only the slimmest of margins, 87 to 85. His victory codified a fundamental change within the House GOP: It would no longer try to work with the Democrats after 34 years in the minority. Rather it would oppose and obstruct the Democratic agenda, focusing on attracting media attention rather than governing.
And Gingrich’s strategy of total confrontation and no compromise worked, leading to a historic victory as Republicans won the House majority in 1994 — though it did serious damage to efforts to actually govern in the House.