Report: Gingrich to exit race on Wednesday

GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich will end his bid on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., according to a report from CNN.

The news network reports that a source close to the former House Speaker says he will exit the race on Wednesday, contrary to earlier indications that he would stop campaigning on Tuesday.

Last week, Gingrich's campaign confirmed that he would soon end his bid for his party's nomination. 

"Newt is committed to helping the Republican Party take back the White House and help Speaker [John] Boehner maintain the Republican majority in the House, along with winning back the Senate, because a governing coalition of Republicans is as important as just winning the presidency," campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond said to The Hill.

Gingrich has said he hopes to secure a speaking spot at the GOP convention in Tampa, Fla., this August and a role in drafting the party platform. 

His campaign confirmed that he spoke to likely GOP nominee Mitt Romney last week, but Gingrich has not yet announced an endorsement. 

Gingrich's tough attacks on Romney and his reluctance to exit the race long after he fell behind in delegates and polls could have hurt his standing with party leaders, however. Some lawmakers say his week-long exit from the primary would hurt his chances of speaking at the convention. 

Gingrich rocketed to the top of many national polls after his victory in the South Carolina first-in-the-nation primary but fell behind after being heavily outspent by Romney in Florida.

He attempted to position himself as the conservative alternative to Romney, battling former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum for that mantle. Santorum dropped his bid earlier this month.

Gingrich focused his efforts on Southern states but was only able to win Georgia, a state he represented in Congress for two decades, on Super Tuesday.

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