As South Carolina Republicans vote, Gingrich eyes Florida fight

As South Carolinians headed to the polls, a surging Newt Gingrich on Saturday turned his attention to Florida, holding a telephone town hall with voters who will have a crucial primary later this month.

“We’re going to be in Florida by Monday,” he said. “We’re looking forward to it. It’s going to be a great campaign. We have to have people power and idea power to offset Romney’s money power, so we need your help.”

Gingrich is surging against front-runner Mitt Romney in South Carolina, making Florida’s primary crucial. But the state is expensive, and the former Massachusetts governor and his supporters have a clear financial edge and are already airing attack advertisements against Gingrich.

“Part of the reason we do this is Gov. Romney in particular runs so many negative ads, we want to give people a chance to ask any question they want to in order to clear the air,” Gingrich said.

One woman noted that one ad airing in Florida questioned Gingrich’s work for Freddie Mac.

Gingrich said he only earned about $35,000 from the contract.

“We’ll get some ads up next week that will tell the truth about that,” he said.

Another man asked why establishment Republicans, who have largely lined up behind Romney, are so afraid of Gingrich becoming the GOP nominee, leading the former House speaker to pontificate about his credentials.

“I am the most change-oriented candidate we’ve had since Ronald Reagan. My record is we actually do it,” he said, citing the 1994 “Contract With America,” as well as balancing the budget, cutting taxes and reforming welfare while he was House speaker. “All of these things are very powerful and I think if you’re a normal Washington insider, it really makes a very big difference. I think Washington insiders in both parties are terrified they’re about to get a genuine change agent who represents the will of the American people and who is prepared to really do what needs to be done.”

Once Gingrich finished, he headed to Tommy’s Ham House in Greenville, the site of an expected showdown with Romney. (Both candidates inadvertently scheduled coinciding appearances there). But Romney showed up early and was gone by the time Gingrich arrived, leading the former House speaker to chide his rival.

“I have a question. Where is Mitt?” he said.

The Georgian mocked the former Massachusetts governor, saying, “I don’t think they have New England clam chowder on the menu” here.

The two men will face off soon enough, in a debate on Monday in Tampa, Fla.