Perry se retirará y apoyará a Gingrich

POLITICO.com:

Rick Perry is expected to drop out later this morning at an 11 a.m. press conference, two sources confirmed to POLITICO. He's also expected to endorse Newt Gingrich, the sources confirmed.

Sources told POLITICO that Gingrich and Perry had a secret meeting to discuss a possible endorsement.

Gingrich had been assiduously lobbying Perry officials in recent days, POLITICO has learned. The former House speaker has repeatedly texted Perry manager Joe Allbaugh.

It gives the surging Gingrich a huge boost heading into the final debate tonight, and the South Carolina primary on Saturday, in which he's already closing in on Mitt Romney.

Perry has indicated he plans to support Gingrich, two sources confirm. Gingrich wrote the forward to Perry's states rights' tome, "Fed Up!"

His decision to bow out was first reported by CNN.