Newt Gingrich: Rush Limbaugh was one of the conservative movement's great heroic figures and a good friend

I knew Rush as a political commentator, a pioneer, and as a personal friend.

Beginning in 1988, Rush Limbaugh created a nationwide audience of more than 20 million people who felt that they had to listen to him every single day. They believed he was the personification of intelligent, funny, confident conservatism that was willing to take apart liberals who were doing indefensible things, challenge the political elites, and stand up to political censorship. Rush never really left Missouri in his heart. He had that middle American, down-to-earth sensibility. He might have lived in Palm Beach, but his mind and senses of reality and life were still basically in Cape Girardeau. His audience was powerful. I can tell you this from personal experience. When we ran the 1994 Contract with America, Republicans had been out of power in the house for 40 years. Rush’s help was absolutely vital to winning that election, communicating the issues to the country, rallying people, and helping key candidates win.