Gingrich slams Romney during appearance at Lutz church

LUTZ, Fla. - Newt Gingrich, with the strength of his recent victory in South Carolina's primary and endorsement from former rival Herman Cain, attended Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, Fla. on Sunday.

Accompanying the former Speaker of the House was former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum.

Following the church service, Gingrich spoke for a few minutes to media members waiting outside.

"We were delighted this week to be first by a significant margin in three consecutive national polls," said Gingrich. "I'm delighted that Herman Cain endorsed me last night. He will join Michael Reagan and others who will campaign with me on Monday doing a fly around. I thought it was tremendous to be here today on Sanctity of Life Sunday and it's very important as a pro-life candidate to be here and express solidarity with all the people across Florida who are committed to life. I believe deeply in the sanctity of life."

Of course, Gingrich didn't pass up the opportunity to mention his recent surge in several polls.

"I think that the election will be substantially closer than a few polls that came out this morning," Gingrich pointed out. "I noticed that 48 hours ago, there was another poll that came out that showed us tied. The most significant thing in both the polls this morning is that when you add the two conservatives together, you clearly beat Romney. I think Romney's got a real challenge in getting a majority at the convention - and we will go all the way to the convention."

He also made sure to take a swipe at main opponent, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

"I believe the Republican party will not nominate a pro-abortion, pro-gun control, pro-tax increase moderate from Massachusetts," said Gingrich. "They will not nominate somebody who raises millions from Wall Street to run ads that are false, so I think this is a straight-up contest for the next four to five weeks between grass root Republicans and people like Governor (Sarah) Palin who wrote a very powerful essay two days ago, Mayor Rudy Giuliani - who made very strong statements yesterday...  The things that Rush Limbaugh said where he just tore apart the absolute falsehoods that were written about me by one of Romney's surrogates."

Gingrich insists his campaign will not end until the Republican National Convention this August in Tampa.

"I have had a long record as a very hard-hitting Reagan conservative, and the idea that that record would be deliberately falsified by a Massachusetts moderate using money from Wall Street to the very companies who are getting money from the federal government is really about as big of an outrage as I've had in my career," he said. "I look forward to the next couple of weeks. This debate is going to go on. It's going to get clearer, more decisive, and I think what we're doing is very different. There's a reason why the New York and Washington establishments oppose me. I would genuinely change Washington. Romney would manage the decay."

In response to his recent comments during a GOP debate on the future of the space program, Gingrich emphasized the contrast between himself and Romney.

"Take the example of space," said Gingrich. "Here's a guy who's running for president for six years whose sum total is to go to the Space Coast and say, 'You know, I would appoint a commission who would advise me on whether or not I would do something.'  Think about that. This isn't leadership. I went there and gave the boldest explanation of going into space since John F. Kennedy in May of 1961. I believe in an America of big solutions, big ideas. I believe that if we unleash the American people, we can build the American dream. I am prepared to give every young American a personal Social Security savings account. This is going to be a campaign that were are going to force back onto the fundamental issues, despite every effort of Governor Romney to make it a campaign of negative ads."