CHARLESTON, South Carolina (PNN) - January 21, 2012 - After failing to crack the top three in the Iowa caucuses or the New Hampshire primary, Newt Gingrich appears to have reaped the rewards of his anti-Bain Capital documentary and a massive social conservative backlash against Mitt Romney, and won the primary in South Carolina.

Exit polls show that Gingrich had a wide margin over Romney among self-identified Tea Party conservatives and born-again Christians, many of whom don’t consider Mormons like Romney to be Christian.

Romney is projected to come in second place. It’s the second disappointment for Romney this week, after Iowa Republicans certified Rick Santorum the actual winner of the Iowa caucuses, despite having named Romney the winner at the time.

Though Romney had been polling well in South Carolina after New Hampshire, a combination of the Gingrich-supportive super PAC’s anti-Romney documentary and the narrowing of the field appears to have worked in Gingrich’s favor in the end.

Romney made the first speech of the night to a chanting, cheering crowd, congratulating Gingrich and his other Republican rivals and leading off with attacks on Obama. He then turned quickly to Gingrich and suggested he was unqualified because he’s “someone who has never run a business or run a state” or won who “attacks success and free enterprise” - in other words.

Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) - The Patriot Congressman - who placed fourth, spoke next, telling his supporters that this “is the beginning of a long, hard slog,” but that more people were hearing “the message of liberty.

“I’ve been in the business of promoting this cause in the electoral system for a long time,” said Paul, and “we will be going to the caucus states and promoting the idea of getting more delegates” to the Republican National Convention in August to promote his message there.

His crowd really warmed up when he began in inveigh against nation building, government spending and fiscal deficits, however, calling his $1 trillion, 1-year spending cut a great effort toward improving the country’s finances. He proceeded to explain that “reining in the Federal Reserve system” was one important tool in controlling government spending, prompting supporters to break into calls to “End the Fed!” He called our monetary system “illegal” and, to cheers, explained, “The Constitution still says that only gold and silver are legal tender.”

Paul also called for limits to Social Security, control of government spending, and an end to the USA PATRIOT Act and the provisions in the NDAA that allow the president to indefinitely detain Amerikans accused of terrorism. He also congratulated his supporters for stalling SOPA/PIPA in Washington, noting that it shows that people can actually affect their political process.

“Freedom brings people together,” said Paul, “because it allows people to live the lives they choose,” adding, “you should have the right to spend your money as you choose.” He called his campaign “this battle for peace and prosperity,” and urged his supporters to continue to promote their cause with him.