This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/11/rick-perry-drops-out-republican-presidential-election

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Rick Perry drops out of race for 2016 Republican presidential nomination Rick Perry drops out of race for 2016 Republican presidential nomination
(35 minutes later)
Former Texas governor Rick Perry has announced that he is dropping out of the race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.Former Texas governor Rick Perry has announced that he is dropping out of the race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
Perry is first in the Republican field to exit the race. His campaign ran into financial trouble after did not poll high enough to participate in the first presidential debate. Perry is first in the Republican field to exit the race. His campaign ran into financial trouble after he did not poll high enough to participate in the first presidential debate.
Perry laid off a number of campaign workers and shuttered offices in early voting states. Although he was sustained by a well-funded Super Pac, it proved not to be enough for his campaign to continue.Perry laid off a number of campaign workers and shuttered offices in early voting states. Although he was sustained by a well-funded Super Pac, it proved not to be enough for his campaign to continue.
In his remarks to announce he would no longer be seeking his party’s nomination, Perry was set to tell attendees at a social conservative event in St Louis: “We have a tremendous field – the best in a generation – so I step aside knowing our party is in good hands, and as long as we listen to the grassroots, the cause of conservatism will be too.” In his remarks announcing he would no longer be seeking his party’s nomination, Perry told attendees at a social conservative event in St Louis: “We have a tremendous field – the best in a generation – so I step aside knowing our party is in good hands, and as long as we listen to the grassroots, the cause of conservatism will be too.”
“I share this news with no regrets,” he continued. “It has been a privilege and an honor to travel this country, to speak with the American people about their hopes and dreams, to see a sense of optimism prevalent despite a season of cynical politics.”“I share this news with no regrets,” he continued. “It has been a privilege and an honor to travel this country, to speak with the American people about their hopes and dreams, to see a sense of optimism prevalent despite a season of cynical politics.”
Perry had been one of the most vocal critics of Donald Trump in the Republican field and assailed the billionaire as “a cancer on conservatism”. He criticized Trump, though not by name, on Friday
“Demeaning people of Hispanic heritage is not just ignorant, it betrays the example of Christ. We can enforce our laws and our borders, and we can love all who live within our borders, without betraying our values,” he said.The former Texas governor added: “It is time to elevate our debate from divisive name-calling, from soundbites without solutions, and start discussing how we will make the country better for all if a conservative is elected president.”
This marks Perry’s second unsuccessful bid for the presidency. He previously ran in 2011 where he briefly surged to the front of the Republican field. However, he stumbled prominently in a televised debate where he could not remember the third of three federal agencies he said he wished to abolish. Perry’s campaign never recovered.This marks Perry’s second unsuccessful bid for the presidency. He previously ran in 2011 where he briefly surged to the front of the Republican field. However, he stumbled prominently in a televised debate where he could not remember the third of three federal agencies he said he wished to abolish. Perry’s campaign never recovered.
More details soon … Perry became governor of Texas in 2001, ascending to the post after his predecessor George W Bush was elected president. He won re-election three times and served until 2014.
The Texas governor’s tenure in office was marked by staunchly conservative policies where Perry pushed to lower taxes and advocated for a state constitutional amendment to define marriage between a man and woman.
He also faced controversy when he was indicted in 2014 for “abuse of official capacity” related to a veto threat that Perry issued for funding of state’s Public Integrity Unit after its supervisor, Travis County district Rosemary Lehmberg, was convicted of drunk driving.
Perry’s exit from the race leaves 16 candidates still contending for the Republican presidential nomination.