Conservatives Calling for Rick Perry to Drop Out of Race - East Idaho News
News

Conservatives Calling for Rick Perry to Drop Out of Race

  Published at

136155401?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1326920592382Justin Sullivan/Getty Images(GREENVILLE, S.C.) — Several prominent conservatives have called for Rick Perry to call his presidential bid quits, with one conservative blogger urging the Texas governor to end his campaign and throw his backing towards Newt Gingrich.

Erick Erickson, the founder of RedState.com, the website that hosted the event where Perry announced his presidential bid in August, penned an entry Wednesday calling Perry a potential “kingmaker” in the South Carolina primary if he decides to drop out before Sunday.

“Barring a miracle, this is Rick Perry’s final act in the 2012 elections. On Saturday, he will come in last in South Carolina,” Erickson wrote in a diary entry on RedState.  “Perry, however, has a potential trump card up his sleeve as he rebuilds political capital. It’s simple: he can drop out today, and endorse someone else. Doing so today, before the CNN Debate tomorrow, gives the news time to sink in.”

Erickson suggested the Texas governor’s choice of an endorsement would likely be Gingrich, not Romney or Santorum.

Mark Miner, a spokesman for Perry, said that the Texas governor is focused on the people of South Carolina, not the pundits declaring the end of his campaign.

“Pundits aren’t going to decide this race. The people of South Carolina are going to decide this race,” Miner said. “The governor’s focused on the people of South Carolina and their votes, not a pundit sitting behind a computer somewhere.”

Asked if there is a chance Perry will drop out of the race before Saturday, Miner responded: “We are in this race through the primary….There is no intention of leaving this race.”

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

SUBMIT A CORRECTION