GREENVILLE, South Carolina -- A feisty Newt Gingrich came out swinging against Romney, opening his remarks with: "I have a question: Where's Mitt?" to cheers from the audience here at Tommy's Country Ham House.
He added that he'd been looking forward to a debate with his opponent.
"in the very near future we hope you'll see the light," he said to the Romney supporters holding up signs around him.
it was the most animated Gingrich has been on the campaign trail in weeks, smiling, laughing, and greeting the audience for nearly 45 minutes.
Gingrich boiled his closing argument down to one sentence: " Just remember, I am the only conservative who has the opportunity to defeat a Massachusetts moderate."
To that end, he highlighted his own roots in Georgia, swiping at Romney saying "I don't think they serve New England clam chowder here."