POSTED: Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - 5:45pm
UPDATED: Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - 5:49pm
NBC NATIONAL NEWS — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has officially ended his campaign.
The former House Speaker from Georgia topped the Republican field in December polls, but he won just two primaries.
As Gingrich dropped out of the race, he gave his formal rival a boost - Mitt Romney, he said, is conservative enough.
"Compared to Barack Obama? You know, this is not a choice between Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan,” said Gingrich. “This is a choice between Mitt Romney and the most radical, leftist president in American history."
Gingrich said the high moment of his campaign was carrying Georgia by 156 counties to three.