Newt's GOP stranglehold

Newt Gingrich's Weird Hold on House GOP Leaders - The Daily Beast:

The GOP House is not a dysfunctional family; it is better understood, according to a disgusted member, as ?6-year-olds on a sugar high.?

Pretty sure that one violates Reagan’s commandment. However, the author is correct that the younger members of the House have no real ties to Gingrich, no reason to stay loyal to him.

Some of them may only vaguely remember the Contract with America, and most probably weren’t old enough to vote in the Republican Revolution.

That being said, Gingrich has the same kind of power over them that Rush does, he has the power of media on his side. Gingrich can sway people far easier than some no name 1st term rep. from Georgia.

Newt is relevant for the same reason Rush is, their viewers/listeners are old enough to remember 1994, even if the reps. those people are sending to Washington don’t.

What do you think, should someone who has been out of Congress almost as long as he was in wield this much power over the GOP?