HOUSTON—Republicans waited in long lines at the state Republican convention Friday to listen to the man some consider the GOP’s savior.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich helped usher in an era of conservative leadership in Congress.  But can he bring Republicans to the forefront again?

“He’s a great guy. He’s done a lot of service to this country,” GOP delegate Walker Gaines said.

To win in November, Republicans will need support from minority voters. But in 2006, they didn’t get it.

“We’re working on it. We’re telling the truth, and some of us have never left that mentality,” delegate Beverly Massege said.

In the last national election, GOP House candidates got just 11 percent of the African American vote and 30 percent of the Hispanic vote.

“The Republican party should say to every American, particularly to the poorest Americans, ‘How would you like lower gas prices?’ You go to the poorest neighborhoods in America, and they’re suffering the most,” Gingrich said.

“You know, we have an awful lot of minorities in our party, and the media doesn’t give us the kind of consideration saying that we do,” delegate Sandra Hall said.

Former presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee told the crowd the best way to get votes is to stick to core principals.

“The Republican Party is only strong when it remembers its roots of conservatism and its pro-life family commitment,” Huckabee said.

“We’re trying to do that again, trying to unite the party with John McCain,” Gaines said.