Children form their first impressions very early on. What might be different in high school is perfecting the ability to adapt to surrounding circumstances, and with respect to Gingrich, he learned to be an opportunist who knew both. Where he lived in PA was that famous "T" (often dubbed Pennsyltucky), and it's quite easy to apply that to the south as it's rural and conservative (i.e., anyone in rural areas had to learn early on to fend for oneself).
Yet the same man hurling epithets at blacks was the same one going around the country with Al Sharpton (as the Rev Al will point out) and Arne Duncan, "preaching" the word of "education". He was suckled on the Government teat and that is his upbringing - a somewhat artificial universe.
In a word, his tactics aren't really "southern" (at least not "old south"
. The "dog-whistle" is "northern racism" personified and he's trying to push it over into something that those in the south can recognize. He is sloppy but generally as convincing a "performance artist" as anyone out there.
He's worse than a weather vane, he's a windsock (as I saw the term used for him I believe). 
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