Rick Perry Ends Presidential Campaign, Endorses Newt Gingrich

Texas Gov. Rick Perry ended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination and endorsed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has been gaining momentum in South Carolina.

“I have come to the conclusion that this is no viable path forward for me in this 2012 campaign,” Perry said in a press conference in South Carolina Thursday morning. “Therefore I am suspending my campaign and endorsing Newt Gingrich for president of the United States.”

Perry’s 11 a.m. announcement came just hours before the 16th debate of the Republican race, and two days before the South Carolina primary.

He said the 2012 campaign has “never been about the candidates” but about replacing President Obama “with a conservative leader who will bring about real change.” Perry called Gingrich “a conservative visionary who can transform our country.”

His endorsement could significantly help Gingrich as he tries to consolidate conservative report before Saturday’s primary. Still, Gingrich’s campaign has hit some snags along the way. He has come under heavy scrutiny for his multiple marriages and past infidelity.

Perry said in a December debate that marriage fidelity is “important” to the presidential race, and added that he’s “always kind of been of the opinion that if you cheat on your wife, you’ll cheat on your business partner.”

At Thursday’s press conference, Perry said he and Gingrich “have had our differences and Newt is not perfect, but who among us is.

“The fact is, there is forgiveness for those who seek God, and I believe in the power of redemption,” he continued. “I have no question Newt has the heart of a conservative reformer.”

Perry joined the presidential race in August and instantly soared to the top of the polls. Despite his fairly late entrance, he seemed to be doing well. But his campaign suffered after multiple poor debate performances and campaign missteps.

The Texas governor finished fifth in the Iowa caucuses. He then returned to Texas to reassess his candidacy, but announced he would continue in the race less than 24 hours later. He skipped campaigning in New Hampshire and consequently landed in sixth in the state’s primary, where he gained just 1 percent of the vote.

Perry took that time to focus on the more conservative South Carolina, but he has not gained much traction in the Palmetto state. In an NBC/Marist survey of the last two days, released Thursday morning, he took a meager 4 percent.

Gingrich, however, is faring well following a strong showing in Monday night’s debate.

Politico reports that Perry and Gingrich had a private meeting Wednesday to discuss Perry’s exit and endorsement, but he did not make his decision about ending his campaign until Thursday morning.

Many conservatives have been eager for Perry to drop out so they could join together to support another candidate. Although some conservatives have stood behind Rick Santorum, who nearly tied Mitt Romney in the Iowa caucuses, others view Gingrich as the most viable alternative to defeating the Mormon candidate.

But Romney’s campaign suggested Perry’s exit won’t make much of a difference.

“Perry didn’t have many votes, and they will scatter across the ballot,” a senior Romney adviser granted anonymity told The Washington Post. “It doesn’t change the essential dynamic of the race, which is about finding someone who can lead on jobs and defeat Obama in the fall. On both those counts, Mitt Romney is head and shoulders above the field.”