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Newt Gingrich seeks money, help as he celebrates South Carolina primary win
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is celebrating his first win of the primary season tonight. But in his South Carolina victory speech, he also admitted a stark reality: he is low on cash.
He asked his supporters for money and help as his campaign heads to Florida for that state's primary on January 31.
"If anyone here knows anyone in Florida, please contact them tomorrow," he asked the crowd. "I need people to donate, to get involved. I don't have the kind of money" necessary to run a large-scale campaign in Florida.
Shortly after the results came on Saturday evening, he asked his 1.4 million Twitter followers for campaign donations. "Thank you South Carolina! Help me deliver the knockout punch in Florida. Join our Moneybomb and donate now," was the message sent from his Twitter account.
Standing on stage with his wife Callista by his side, he cautiously predicted that he will become the Republican nominee.
"If I do become your nominee and I think with your help I will become your nominee," Gingrich said. But first he praised his three opponents, especially third-place finisher Rick Santorum for showing "enormous courage" for fighting successfully in Iowa with no money.
Full South Carolina primary resultsSouth Carolina exit poll
GOP delegate scorecard
Complete primary and caucus results
Texas Governor Rick Perry dropped out of the nomination race Thursday after lagging support and threw his support to Gingrich. On Gingrich's win, Perry wrote in a statement, "Newt Gingrich is the conservative change agent we need to contrast, debate and defeat President Obama in November."
As for Mitt Romney, Gingrich said he disagrees with him on many issues, but called him "successful" and "hard working."
Gingrich continued to attack the media, a successful tactic he took at Thursday night's debate when he got a wild cheers for pushing back against host John King for asking about accusations from his second wife that he asked for an "open marriage."
Full CBS News coverage: Newt Gingrich
Gingrich said "the elites in Washington and New York have no concern," for the values of conservative Americans. "It's not that I am a good debater, it's that I articulate the values of the American people."
"We want to run, not a Republican campaign, we want to run an American campaign," Gingrich said while criticizing Mr. Obama for a "radical" agenda that is out of touch with American needs.
Gingrich will appear on CBS's "Face the Nation" Sunday morning and will then head to Florida.
How Newt Gingrich won the South Carolina primary
Where does Mitt Romney go from here?
Ron Paul gears up for the long haul
Santorum vows to soldier on after 3rd place finish in S.C.
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Leigh Ann Caldwell Leigh Ann Caldwell is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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