Gingrich in Elgin: Why Am I Still Running? Ask the Bible

Speaking at Elgin—probably the closest any presidential will get to Geneva prior to March 20—Republican presidential candidate New Gingrich cited the Book of Proverbs as a reason for staying in what the polls and many political pundits are calling a losing race.

"I’ve stayed in the race because I think that Proverbs is right … 'without vision, people perish,'” the GOP presidential candidate said, paraphrasing Proverbs 29:18.

Gingrich told the hundreds gathered Thursday inside a chapel at Judson University in Elgin that it is important to have a leader with “big ideas."

“I believe we need a visionary leader who is prepared to break out of politics as normal and is prepared to talk about big ideas,” Gingrich said, citing his desire for more research into the human brain as one of those ideas. He is campaigning in the Chicago suburbs ahead of Tuesday's primary. 

Gingrich has vowed to stay in the race despite being low on cash and finishing second in Mississippi and Alabama on Tuesday, according to The Huffington Post. 

The former Speaker of the House is from Georgia and was expected to do better in the South. He told the Associated Press he wouldn’t drop out and leave the Republican Party with two candidates he feels can't win in November, The Huffington Post reports.

One recent Fox News poll put Gingrich trailing with 13 percent of likely voters to Mitt Romney's 38 percent and Rick Santorum's 32 percent.

On Thursday, Gingrich offered a number of his own presidential ideas. He said believes brain science will produce more breakthroughs in the coming years than other fields.

"I am convinced that we should have a brain-science initiative. Now, I know this isn’t something you expect politicians to come talk to you about," Gingrich said.

Gingrich is known for favoring scientific development. Another of his ideas, to put a base on the moon, has been mocked in the media.

Many of the ideas he laid out Thursday were more mundane campaign talking points—balancing the budget, working toward energy independence and lowering the cost of gasoline.

Taking an opportunity to attack President Barack Obama on religion in front of a Christian group, Gingrich accused Obama of a "one-side appeasement of Islam." He said the President apologized to "religious fanatics."

"No president, no Congress, no bureaucrat can come between you and God," he said.