Thompson appeals for S.C. conservatives' votes

Fred Thompson, making what could be his last stand in Saturday's Republican primary in South Carolina, appeals directly for votes in a new TV ad.

"Friends, we're in a fight for our conservative values," Thompson says in the spot.

He then boasts of his consistent, conservative credentials, including his opposition to amnesty for illegal immigrants, support for low taxes, his "100% pro-life" record, and his advocacy of a strong military.

Thompson, a former actor of "Law & Order" fame and former US senator from Tennessee, has been criticized for sleepwalking through the campaign. He showed signs of life in a debate last week in Myrtle Beach, S.C., where he went after Mike Huckabee in particular.

He and Huckabee, a fellow Southerner who won the Iowa caucuses, are targeting many of the same voters. Thompson finished third in Iowa, but dropped to sixth in New Hampshire last week, with barely 1 percent of the vote.

In the latest South Carolina polls, Thompson is running fourth.