McLean's Newt Gingrich, Presidential Contender

UPDATE, May 12: Newt Gingrich, a McLean neighbor and former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, made it official yesterday afternoon announcing his presidential quest in a Tweet an a video on his website.

Though it was long expected, the announcement was something of a milestone in presidential politics — the first such declaration via Twitter, with the requisite link to his video statement, Dan Balz said in this morning's Washington Post.

"Like others in the Republican field, Gingrich, 67, has been moving steadily toward a candidacy for months. But in formally declaring, he set himself on an uncertain journey that will test whether his assets can overcome his liabilities," Balz wrote.

One of those liabilities may be his personal life which includes three marriages and an acknowledgement of adultery. That bring us to the profile that the New York Times published Tuesday on our other McLean neighbor: Callista Bisek, Gingrich's third wife.

She's originially from Wisconsin and they began dating when she was in her 20's and Gingrich was still married to his second wife. They have been married 11 years, about the same about of time, they have lived in McLean.

They bought their home near Lewinsville Road in the year 2000.

May 11: We just checked Twitter and Facebook for McLean neighbor Newt Gingrich's announcement of  his presidential intentions. No announcement yet.

Politico is reporting the former House speaker will announce his presidential candidacy  sometime today on Facebook and Twitter. His spokesman, Rick Tyler, posted Monday on Twitter that Gingrich will make it official, give his first interview as a White House candidate on Fox News and then speak to Georgia Republicans at their annual convention on Friday.

Minutes later, Gingrich himself took to Twitter. "Be sure to watch Hannity this Wednesday at 9pm ET/8pm CT," he posted. "I will be on to talk about my run for President of the United States.”

Such excitement.

May 10 Story: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a McLean resident, appears ready to on Wednesday that he is running for president.

"Be sure to watch Hannity this Wednesday at 9pm ET/8pm CT. I will be on to talk about my run for President of the United States, " Gingrich says on his Facebook page.

A McLean neighbor wrote McLean Patch on Saturday that they had seen Gingrich at the McLean Giant. "I just threw him a underhand lob ... and asked him when he was making his 'announcement' ... not knowing even if he is going to run ... and he came out and said 'Wednesday.'"

Washington Post columnist Chris Cillizza said in his column Monday, "Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will announce his plans to pursue the presidency in 2012 on Wednesday, according to spokesman Rick Tyler.

"Gingrich will make the announcement first on Facebook and Twitter — a bow to the power of social media in politics — and then will sit down with conservative television personality Sean Hannity on Wednesday night for an interview. Gingrich is expected to make his first formal speech as a candidate on Friday at the Georgia Republican Party convention," Cillizza said.

"The announcement is not terribly surprising as Gingrich has been eyeing the race for months and went through a bit of a false start in early March when one top aide said he was in the race only to be contradicted by other members of Gingrich’s leadership team," Cillizza continued.

Politico national politics editor Charles Mahtesian, talking on WTOP Radio Monday, gave this assessment of our neighbor:

Strengths: Brilliant thinker in the Republican Party. Led the House of Representatives after the GOP won a majority in the 1994 elections. Thinks big. Operates at the national level. High degree of name recognition, said Mahtesian.

Negatives:Has not run for office since 1998. The world of politics has totally changed with the advent of social media. Has a checkered personal past, Mahtesian said.

Gingrich and his wife bought their home in McLean in May 2000 for $995,000.  The house is now  assessed at more than  $1 million. Located on a quiet, unpretentious street, the two-story house has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, three fireplaces and more than 5,000 square feet of space, but no swimming pool. This is a modest house by McLean standards.

Gingrich can be seen shopping in the downtown Giant, enjoying Sunday dinner at the McLean Family Restaurant or strolling through downtown.

Gingrich is the latest McLean resident to explore a run for the presidency. In previous elections, other neighbors who have headed down that path and then abandoned it include former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and TV commentator Pat Buchanan. All three still reside in McLean.

Judi Hasson contributed to this story.