Washington, Jan 19: Texas Governor Rick Perry announced on Thursday that he would end his campaign seeking the Republican presidential nomination and throw his support behind rival Newt Gingrich.

“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,” Perry said in Charleston, South Carolina.

The 61-year-old would not take part in a television debate planned for Thursday evening ahead of the next primary Saturday in South Carolina.

That would leave just four major candidates in the race, the frontrunner being Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts Governor and multi-millionaire businessman.