ROCK HILL, S.C. -- On a day when voters in Michigan are deciding which Republican presidential hopeful they want to see on the ballot, many of the candidates are in the Wolverine State. But one candidate decided to forgo campaigning in Michigan to win over the likes of voters in South Carolina.

On Tuesday, former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson made his way through the Palmetto State in an effort to gain momentum before the Republican primary this Saturday.

Thompson jokingly said his move to campaign in South Carolina on Tuesday was based on weather conditions.

“They're up there fighting the blizzards in Michigan and I'm in South Carolina. Now who's most qualified to be president with judgment like that?"

All joking aside, South Carolina is a crucial state for all Republicans to win. That’s essentially why Thompson is putting an emphasis here. A state largely populated with Republicans. 40 percent to 50 percent of all Republican primary voters are evangelical Christians, which is exactly who Thompson is targeting.

He calls himself the "Conservative’s Conservative," a label that is winning over many voters in South Carolina.

South Carolina resident Theresa Clanton said she’s voting for him because "he is not up here for entertainment like the rest of them. When he speaks, everybody listens."

It's that willingness to listen that seems to be making a difference as he gains momentum in South Carolina. A new Rasmussen poll released on Monday shows Thompson creeping up on Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. John McCain is still leading the pack, but Thompson seems to have no doubts about his chances of pulling off a win on Saturday.

Asked what he would do if he doesn’t win, Thompson responded, "I'm not going to talk about any 'ifs.' This is a successful operation in my opinion and it's going to be."