Texas Gov. Rick Perry ended his campaign for president Thursday morning and endorsed Newt Gingrich.
“I believe Newt is a conservative visionary who can transform this country,” Perry said.
The Texan obliquely referred to Gingrich’s checkered personal life just hours before an interview with the former House speaker’s second wife was to speak out in a TV interview.
“Newt is not perfect, but who among us is?” said Perry.
Citing his Christian faith, Perry said of Gingrich: “I believe in the power of redemption.”
Perry kept an upbeat note as he ended his campaign. He talked about his plan for jobs, his commitment to conservative principles and his roots in Paint Creek, Texas. He thanked his staff, supporters and family throughout the event.
“I began this race with a sense of calling — I felt led into the arena to fight for the future of this country. I feel no different than i did then, knowing the calling never represents a particular outcome,” Perry said. He added that he’ll head back to Texas “not discouraged nor disenchanted, but instead rewarded by the experience and resolute to remain in the service of our country.”
“I’m not done fighting for the cause of conservatism,” Perry said. “As a matter of fact, I have just begun to fight.”
Gingrich will be hoping the move gives him a boost as tries to consolidate conservative support ahead of Saturday’s primary, aiming to unite the voters who had been splitting between him, Perry and Rick Santorum.
Gingrich has been assiduously lobbying Perry officials in recent days, POLITICO has learned. The former House speaker has repeatedly texted Perry manager Joe Allbaugh.
Sources confirm Gingrich and Perry met privately yesterday to discuss the exit and endorsement. Both attended the Personhood USA antoi-abortion presidential forum in Greenville on Wednesday night.
Perry, however, did not make the decision about exiting the race until the morning. But the discord within the Perry campaign was evident even as the candidate prepared to drop out.
Top officials in Texas said they were unaware of his intentions and as late as this morning said they genuinely didn’t know whether he was still running.
Gingrich refused to comment on news Thursday morning as he exited his campaign bus at a town hall in Bluffton, S.C.
Perry has been unpredictable before — back in Texas to reassess his campaign’s viability following his fifth place finish in the Iowa caucuses, Perry surprised even many in his inner circle by personally tweeting a message saying he was staying in the race, and heading to South Carolina to campaign.
Since the weekend before the New Hampshire primary, he had been on a retail campaign through the state, making multiple appearances per day and continuing to rail against his rivals — particularly Mitt Romney, whom he attacked for “vulture capitalism” at Bain Capital and not releasing his tax returns, among other things.
Romney shrugged off the news about Perry’s decision when asked about it after a rally at his campaign headquarters in Charleston Thursday morning.
“He’s a great man. He made a real contribution. He already has to his state and to our country,” Romney said.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
Perry preferring Gingrich to Santorum is significant.
Gingrich’s ex-wife (number two of three) makes no difference since it is already well known that Gingrich divorced his first two wives as a result of his own adultery, and that he has made a loud and perhaps convincing show of having repented.