The Hill News

Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) on Tuesday praised Newt Gingrich's performance during the previous night's Fox News-Wall Street Journal debate.

"Newt really had a strong performance," Scott said Tuesday on the Laura Ingraham radio show. "He was on his game and when Newt is good, he's very good."

Recently, Scot has been saying he's getting closer to making a presidential endorsement. As a Tea Party favorite, Scott's endorsement would be a boon for any  Republican presidential candidate both for South Carolina voters and nationally. 

At one point during the Monday night debate, Gingrich got a standing ovation for his response to a question on comments he's made about impoverished children working as janitors.

In the same interview, the South Carolina congressman said that if Romney, who's been polling at the front of the pack in the Palmetto State, gets the nomination, he will need to pick a candidate favorite by the Tea Party wing of the ! Republican Party.

"In order for Romney to be successful in November, he has to have a vice presidential candidate who has a more conservative base than he does," Scott said.

Scott said his criteria for picking a candidate to back includes one that could win and also represents his "values."

"I am trying to find out which candidate A: represents my values, and B: wins," Scott said according to The Wall Street Journal. "I am going to create a little matrix for myself and come to a decision.