“The establishment is in such a state of shock,” said Mr. Gingrich, a former speaker of the House whose name has emerged among possible 2012 contenders. “I am a great passionate believer in the wisdom of the American people over time. They occasionally make mistakes — 2008 was an example — but they gradually correct.”…

“I’ll let you decide whether this is the DeMint-Palin-inspired movement or the Palin-DeMint-inspired movement,” he said, praising Ms. Palin’s online networking skills and Mr. DeMint’s “organizational ability.” “There have been seven Senatorial contests between the grass roots and the establishment this year and the grass roots are seven-and-zero over the establishment.”

Mr. Gingrich, whose 30-minute speech attacked the Washington “elites,” warned against the threat of radical Islamists and made the moral case for free enterprise, also took a few minutes to wade into the current election cycle.