...And now Perry

[Save_Ferris]

Texas Gov. Rick Perry suspended his struggling presidential campaign Thursday and threw his support to Newt Gingrich, a development that could alter the dynamics of the Republican race just two days before the tightening South Carolina primary.

"I believe Newt is a conservative visionary who can transform our country. We've had our differences, which campaigns will inevitably have, and Newt is not perfect, but who among us is?" Perry said at a press conference in Charleston, South Carolina.

"I have no question that Newt Gingrich has the heart of a conservative reformer, the ability to rally and captivate the conservative movement. The courage to tell those Washington interests to take a hike if that's what's in the best interest of our country," Perry said.

Shortly after Perry's speech, the former House speaker said he was "honored and very humbled to have Perry's endorsement.

"He understands exactly the mission of defending and expanding freedom and he understands that every citizen has different ways to participate," Gingrich said at a press conference in Beaufort, South Carolina.

Perry made the final decision Wednesday night and spoke with Gingrich on the phone shortly before he held the press conference Thursday morning, one source close to the Perry campaign said.

"He believes we need a conservative for president and Mitt Romney is not conservative," the source said.

Speaking to reporters Thursday after the announcement, Perry's spokesman Ray Sullivan said the governor will return to Austin and remain there through the weekend. While there are no plans for Perry to campaign for Gingrich at this time, he said those plans will be re-evaluated after Saturday's South Carolina primary.

Asked if Perry's wife, Anita, agreed with the governor's decision, Sullivan said the family is all "supportive."

The move comes two days before the South Carolina primary and hours before the final debate ahead of the voting, which will take place on CNN Thursday night.

The campaigns of Gingrich and Rick Santorum reached out to the Perry campaign Thursday morning in an "aggressive effort" to get his endorsement, according to a source close to Perry.

Perry placed fifth in Iowa and last in New Hampshire - a state in which he did not actively compete - and had said he would launch a bid to win in South Carolina.

"South Carolinians are looking for a conservative candidate that will get this country back working again and I am it," Perry told CNN last week.

On Wednesday, CNN asked Perry about a poll that showed him with only 6% support among likely voters in the South Carolina primary. He insisted he was continuing with the effort to have a strong showing in the state.

"We're convinced that that's our goal, so the idea that we're going to do anything else, other than try to impact this election is - that's why we got in it," he said. "We didn't get in it because it was our purpose in life to be the president of the United States. We did it because it was our purpose to serve this country, and that's what we've been called for, and that's what we're going to continue doing."

When Perry entered the race in August, he immediately did well in the polls. But a series of gaffes, particularly at debates against his rivals, sent his support plummeting.

On Thursday, his campaign website continued to say "help Rick Perry win South Carolina and get America back on track."

Perry's official campaign Facebook page was filled with posts, largely from disappointed voters.

The article is here. Is Huntsman next? Maybe Santorum will crash and burn? At least the worst of the worst are gone.

 

[NickyJ]

Huntsman dropped out and endorsed Romney last Monday.

 

[bombshoo]

Huntsman already dropped out on Monday.

I do agree that at least the worst of the worst are gone (besides Gingrich).

I often hear how some Obama supporters wish Bachmann or Perry would have won the nomination because they would not pose a threat to Obama in the Presidential Campaign. I don't agree with this, since it's always possible that something terrible could happen with Obama (we find out he has been cheating on his wife or something) and then we would almost certainly be stuck with a truly awful President.

 

[NickyJ]

I often hear how some Obama supporters wish Bachmann or Perry would have won the nomination because they would not pose a threat to Obama in the Presidential Campaign. I don't agree with this, since it's always possible that something terrible could happen with Obama (we find out he has been cheating on his wife or something) and then we would almost certainly be stuck with a truly awful President.

Funny you should mention that with the big Mrs. Gingrich interview airing tonight.

 

[bombshoo]

Funny you should mention that with the big Mrs. Gingrich interview airing tonight.

That's true. If the nominee were Gingrich at least Obama would be able to fight back a bit if there was some sort of discovery of him having an extramarital affair. That would be about the least worrisome thing that could happen though. I mean it's always possible Obama could be a complete sleazebag and was hooking up with multiple women or was embezzling or even worse. Obviously I severely doubt this (especially with how much people have been going after him that it wouldn't have already been discovered) but I'd really rather not have the chance of a complete idiot taking the office, even if its only a minor possibility.

 

[GamezRule]

If all of Rick Perry's supporters voted for Gingrich, it would be all of four votes.

Now, there's still three candidates that I'd like to eliminate... Let me see if I can name them.

Oops.

 

[shadowplay]

The entertaining candidates are all dropping out... first Cain, then Bachmann, now Perry.... God knows what I'll do with myself if Paul exits...

 

[NickyJ]

The entertaining candidates are all dropping out... first Cain, then Bachmann, now Perry.... God knows what I'll do with myself if Paul exits...

Link to video.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Don't worry. Paul stayed in the race until the very end in 2008, and has far more support now.

 

[Antilogic]

Don't worry. Paul stayed in the race until the very end in 2008, and has far more support now.

It'll be weird if he has any power at brokered convention, with some delegates to through around. Last time, it didn't matter. With all of Romney's recent fumbling and the possibility of Gingrich winning in South Carolina, we still have a chance of that coming to fruition.