Newt Gingrich in Pensacola Before FL Primary

It's a two-man race as we near Florida's Republican Presidential Primary - Newt versus Romney.

"I mean there is a virtue to actually hire someone who knows what they're doing and doesn't have to spend two years to figure out how Washington works," said Newt Gingrich at a rally in Pensacola Monday morning.

But the latest polls show those negative ads Romney is running against the former House Speaker are working.

"Romney spent 17-and-a-half million dollars saying things that weren't true," Gingrich told News 5. The latest polls show Newt Gingrich is trailing about 15 points behind the former Massachusetts Governor in the Sunshine State.

"He doesn't have the money that Romney's got," said Gingrich supporter Terry Bishop. "You can't turn on the TV without seeing ad after ad of Romney trashing Newt, and he's just playing a dirty game."

But hundreds of local supporters believe in Newt Gingrich, and many skipped work Monday morning to tell him just that.

"I believe that Newt has the right policies," said business owner Beverly Morrison. "I believe that he can debate Obama, he can get there, and he can make the general public understand that we need a good strong man in the White House."

Fighting an uphill battle in Pensacola, Gingrich tried to separate himself from Romney, emphasizing his conservative values.

"I've covered Newt for a long time and I've never seen Newt happier," said News Correspondent and former WKRG reporter Brian Wilson. "He's trailing in the polls but he's in the game, and he feels like he has a chance."

Newt Gingrich also made a lot of big promises in Pensacola if he were elected: repealing ObamaCare, lowering gas prices, and balancing the federal budget.