FIRST ON CNN: Sources: Perry dropping out of GOP race
Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) - Rick Perry is telling supporters that he will drop his bid Thursday for the Republican presidential nomination, two sources familiar with his plans told CNN.
The Texas governor will make the announcement before the CNN debate in South Carolina, the sources said.
Tune in Thursday at 8 p.m. ET for the CNN/Southern Republican Presidential Debate hosted by John King and follow it on Twitter at #CNNDebate. For real-time coverage of the South Carolina primary, go to CNNPolitics.com or to the CNN apps or CNN mobile web site.
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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 Newt 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 will indicate his support for Newt Gingrich but will not explicitly endorse him, a source with knowledge of Perry's decision told CNN.
To follow the latest developments on Perry, follow the Ticker's update here.
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. 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.
- CNN's Josh Levs contributed to this report.
Also see:
Polls: South Carolina primary tightening hours before crucial debate
Gingrich as compares Romney's 'desperate' attacks to 2008 campaign
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- Untitled
bout freakin time....but that means he's coming back to Texas to further screw over the Texas citizen....crap. Can we just deport him to an island full of cannibals and be done with him?
What took him so long?
Mr Perry is a good man, great for Texas. Perhaps another day he will be the man to lead the country. All the best !
Thanks Rick its about time.
Good. He wasn't qualified.
LOL. Oh how the mighty have fallen. No surprise here. His buffoonary was too much for the GOP & tea party crowd. Whose next? Lets's see we have Paul, Ginrigh, Sanatarum, & Robney left. I will put my money on Ginrigh.
Anyway, I have never been to the circus before, but watching this GOP circus out the corner of my eye now and then has been entertaining.
What a day sad thiz is!
He ran a spirited campaign, but in the end he was just unable to overcome his own foibles and the rampant media smear machine that is set on destroying all challengers to its beloved leader. Best of luck on whatever the future holds, Governor
Surprised that Rick Perry lasted this long...
Ron Paul would win South Carolina and the nomination, if he would CLEARLY link the trillion dollar savings from ending U.S. foreign wars with financing Social Security. He alludes to that sometimes but does not CLEARLY and REPEATEDLY state so in his ads or debates. Trillions were borrowed from the Social Security Trust Fund to fight wars overseas for many years and paying this money back, with interest, by ending the wars would make Social Security solvent forever.
Sadly, now he'll come back to Texas and finish the job he's never really done. He'll find somebody willing to pay him for his influence, but I suspect his rates will need to come down. Nobody will ever take him seriously again.
It is a shame a man with such good ideas could not figure out a way to get his message across to the
general public. Sad that America puts so much stock in a candidates debating ability as opposed to their
message and moral compass. What we have now,Pres Obama, is an example of a great speaker with
poor ideas. He has spent more money than all the others from Washington through Clinton. And yet our
economy continues to flounder. As thousands give up looking for a job and and resign themselves to food stamps.
Well, this was not unexpected. "Texas stupid" was SO twelve-years-ago!
A shocker? Think not!
But I thought god wanted him to be President. Oh yeah, there isn't one.
Now the question is: WHO WILL HE ENDORSE???
And another one bites the dust.....
Now Rick, support Sarah Palin and your work here is done.
Good riddance to the man that made Bush look smart, articulate, competent and diplomatic.
He wasn't going any where or any place anyway.
Why did he wait this long?
Good riddance. Now go back to Texas and disappear.
Perry's supporters, what few he had, will go to the other religious whacko, Santorum. I actually think Santorum is worse than Perry, far worse, when it comes to Santorum's vision of a Police-State-For-Jebus for this country. It's amusing that Santorum chose to base his latest ad off of Orwell's "1984", because that's exactly what Santorum has planned as President. Everyone will toe the extremist Christian line or else. Guess I'll be the "or else", hahah. I look forward to it.
Aw... bummer. His buffoonery was so reminiscent of the previous president.
There is a God