NEWT GINGRICH VISTS FRIDAY AT FUND-RAISER FOR JO ANN EMERSON

House Speaker Newt Gingrich will visit Cape Girardeau on Friday to raise money for U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's re-election campaign and the Safe House for Women.

The Georgia Republican will attend a charity event in the Holiday Inn Executive Room at 4:30 p.m. to benefit the Safe House for Women.

At 6 p.m., he will speak at an $8-a-person, fund-raising event in the Holiday Inn Convention Center for Emerson, a Cape Girardeau Republican.

This will mark Gingrich's second visit to Cape Girardeau in exactly a year.

He was in Cape Girardeau last June 27 to attend the funeral of late congressman Bill Emerson.

Jo Ann Emerson was elected in November to the 8th District congressional seat, succeeding her late husband.

Tickets are required and can be obtained by contacting the Team Emerson campaign office at (573) 335-0033.

More than 400 tickets already have been sold for the event, an Emerson spokesman said.