Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich comes to Gainesville today as part of an effort to rally voters in his home state.

Gingrich, who will be joined by Gov. Nathan Deal, will speak at a rally tonight at 7 at the Gainesville Civic Center.

The event, organized by the campaign, is open to the public.

The visit follows Gingrich's also-ran finishes in Arizona and Michigan on Tuesday night.

Rather than stumping in those primary states on Tuesday, Gingrich spent the day shoring up support in Georgia with events scheduled in Dalton, Rome and Carrollton.

The candidate seems to be looking for a strong Super Tuesday showing on March 6, after having failed to win another primary since South Carolina in January.

The Gainesville stop, which will also include a tour of the Wilheit Packaging Headquarters and a VIP fundraiser, is part of a four-day bus tour in the state offering the largest number of delegates on Super Tuesday.

Kris Yardley, chairman of the Hall County Republican Party, said the rally is a good opportunity for local voters to get face time with a major
presidential candidate.

It's no surprise Gingrich is coming, Yardley said, given Hall County ranked ninth in voter turnout in Georgia in the 2008 presidential election.

"We are a very large, very Republican County," he said. "Get there early because it's bound to be packed."

Much of that will crowd will no doubt be of Gingrich supporters. But it's an opportunity for undecided Republican voters too, said Charles Lewis, the former Hall County Republican chairman.

"I very strongly suspect there will be people who haven't made up their mind and will be looking for help making a decision," Lewis said.

Though none of the other Republican candidates have announced stops in Gainesville yet, Lewis said he wouldn't be surprised if other candidates crisscrossing the state make a pitch to Hall voters, too.