7 famous political figures you didn’t know were adopted

3. Newt Gingrich

Long before he became a leader of the Republican Party, Newt Gingrich began his life as Newton Leroy McPherson; born to Kathleen and Newton McPherson on June 17, 1943, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His mother and father were married the year prior and were very young at the time, 16 and 19 respectively.

Unfortunately, their marriage didn’t last. But in 1946, Kathleen married Army officer Robert Gingrich who adopted Newt. As a part of a military family, Newt moved around quite a bit, including stints in France and Germany.