Perry quits race for White House to aid Gingrich

“I know when it’s time to make a strategic retreat,” Perry told a news conference.

He called Gingrich “a conservative visionary who can transform our country” and added: “Newt is not perfect, but who among us is?”

Perry had faced calls to drop out of the race to compel conservative voters, whose support has been divided among several conservative candidates, to rally behind Gingrich in hopes of stopping front runner Mitt Romney.

Recent polls show Gingrich gaining steam heading into tomorrow’s contest, but he still trails Romney by about 10 percentage points.

Romney has benefited so far from having several challengers who are considered more conservative than him competing for the same segment of voters.

Perry’s decision to endorse Gingrich does not necessarily mean conservatives will rally behind him.

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, a champion of the anti-abortion issue, is still in the race and over the weekend was endorsed by a group of evangelical leaders.

Perry entered the race last August to great fanfare and high poll numbers.

But his standing quickly fell after a series of mistakes called into question whether the Texas politician, who had never lost a race during his three-decade career in elected office, was ready for the national stage.

Perry’s biggest error came in a nationally televised debate in early November, when he could not remember the name of the third Cabinet department he pledged to eliminate.

“Oops,” he said. Making fun of himself afterward, he told reporters: “I stepped in it.”

A Perry speech to a New Hampshire audience in October also led to a damaging video, during which he appeared unusually animated – “loopy” to some observers – casting doubt on the serious, starchy image he had promoted.