Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich told a group of nearly 200 in Dawsonville he didn't want them to be "for" him as he campaigns for the nation's highest office.

Instead, the former U.S. Speaker of the House wants them to be "with" him for the next eight years.

"Because it will take all of us, working together, to change Washington and save our country," he said.

During a luncheon held in his honor, Gingrich outlined his 21st Century Contract with America, a plan he said will meet the nation's challenges and solve the job crisis.

"My 21st Century Contract with America calls for moving power out of Washington and back to the states and the people," he said.

The plan also calls for "a very strong job creation program, both deregulation, tax cuts, creating modern energy and praising people who create jobs," Gingrich said. "Class warfare kills jobs, bureaucratic socialism kills jobs. Liberating small business and praising entrepreneurs creates jobs."

Gingrich is the first candidate to make a stop in Dawson County during the 2012 presidential campaign, and possibly the first presidential candidate in the nation's history to visit Dawsonville.

Supporter Will Wade organized the event, which also included an optional $1,000 personal meet-and-greet session with Gingrich.

"It's an honor for us to have ... in this nation's history the first presidential candidate in Dawson County," Wade said. "I think quite frankly, one day we'll say, ‘Remember when President Gingrich came to Dawsonville.'"

Gingrich was first elected to Congress in 1978 where he served the 6th District of Georgia for 20 years. In 1995, he was elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives where he served until 1999.

Under his leadership, Congress passed welfare reform, passed the first balanced budget in a generation, and passed the first tax cut in 16 years.