Earlier in the day, Newt Gingrich received a boost after Texas Gov. Rick Perry dropped out of the race and gave Gingrich his support.

Gov. Rick Perry: “As I have contemplated the future of this campaign, I have come to the conclusion that there is no viable path forward for me in this 2012 campaign. Therefore, today, I am suspending my campaign and endorsing Newt Gingrich for president of the United States. 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 was initially considered a front-runner but plummeted in the polls after a series of poor debate performances, including one where he could not remember one of the three government agencies he had vowed to abolish if elected.