GREENVILLE, S.C. -- After Gov. Rick Perry bowed out of the presidential race last week, his senior campaign leaders in South Carolina set to work closing down the three campaign offices, collecting yard signs and dismantling staff.
But their most important assignment from Perry, State Campaign Chairman Katon Dawson said, was to go to work immediately to help former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in his battle to upset former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the state's crucial first-in-the South primary.Perry's decision to drop out of the race and endorse the former speaker helped contribute to Gingrich's decisive victory in the Palmetto State.Gingrich called Perry after his victory and later told supporters that Perry was "very generous" in extending his endorsement."His passion is implementing the 10th Amendment," Gingrich said of his adversary-turned-supporter. "We're going to work with him to return power to the states, to local governments, and get it out of Washington, D.C."All but one of the 22 state officials who endorsed Perry early in his campaign transferred their loyalty to Gingrich after Perry pulled out of the race and bestowed his remaining South Carolina political capital on Gingrich. Dawson, a former state GOP chairman, and other political heavyweights formerly aligned with Perry worked their contacts to help marshal support for Gingrich.In a statement after the primary, Perry congratulated Gingrich on his "big win" in South Carolina and described him as the "conservative standardbearer" in the Florida primary and beyond."Newt Gingrich is the conservative change agent we need to contrast, debate and defeat President Obama in November," Perry said.Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, who came in third, told CNN that there was "momentum for Newt" after Perry dropped out and endorsed Gingrich, adding that the former speaker "capitalized on it."Dawson, who worked in Gingrich's campaign before becoming Perry's South Carolina point man, said Perry's support "made conservatives very comfortable" in rallying behind the former speaker, who struggled in the race before surging in recent weeks.The governor's high-profile backing, Dawson said, "put gas in the tank that helped drive Newt Gingrich to victory."Although Perry was no longer in the running, at least 1,600 Carolinians had voted for Perry by the time more than half the results were calculated, or less than 1 percent of the total.As a candidate, Perry was competing with Gingrich and Santorum to become the conservative alternative to Romney. With Gingrich surging in pre-election polls, many of those who found appeal in Perry's anti-Washington, Tea Party-oriented message may have believed that Gingrich, rather than Santorum, had the best chance to derail Romney's bid for the nomination.Dawson said one of Perry's main instructions to his South Carolina leadership team after leaving the race was to "make sure Speaker Gingrich gets the support he needs."Dave Montgomery is the Star-Telegram's Austin bureau chief. 512-476-4294Twitter: @daveymontgomery
Gingrich crushes Romney in South Carolina primary
Perry ends candidacy, returns to Texas without ruling out future bids
Texans have a good idea what Perry's 'strategic retreat' means
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