J.C. Watts and Fred Thompson were in Congress when Newt was too and they endorsed him. It’s certainly possible Coburn has a grudge based on Newt not letting him have a perk of some sort.
That’s true. But it is equally true that the House GOP revolted against Gingrich, and his “retirement” was due, in part, to the likelihood that they were going to replace him as Speaker.
And it is equally as plausible that Cobburn [and others] have as principled reasons for opposing him as Watts and Thompson do for supporting him.