Newt Gingrich delivered a personal message of gratitude to his supporters as his presidential campaign came to a close.
"I want to take this opportunity to give you an insider advance notice that on Wednesday I'll be officially suspending the campaign as part of a press event. I wanted you to know first because your help was vital," says Gingrich in a video released Tuesday.
The Gingrich campaign confirmed to The Hill last week that the former House Speaker was planning to end his bid for the Republican presidential nomination this week after reports of his withdrawal surfaced.
Despite rising in the polls after his victory in South Carolina, the only other primary contest Gingrich won was in his home state of Georgia.
He said last week he would support Mitt Romney if the former Massachusetts governor wins the party's nomination, which is now the expected outcome.
In the campaign video, Gingrich touts his campaign as a "grassroots" success.
"Because of your help and your support, we were able to put up a terrific campaign and I want you to know that Callista and I are both very grateful to everybody across the country," he says.
Gingrich also took to the opportunity to attack President Obama's tenure and to make a pitch for the eventual Republican nominee.
"A reelection of Barack Obama will be a genuine disaster and all of us have an obligation, I think, to do everything we can to defeat Barack Obama," he added.
Gingrich told supporters that he and Callista will continue to campaign and make speeches, despite officially ending his race for the White House this week.
"I hope you'll join us in this historic effort, because this is still the most important election of our lifetime," says Gingrich.
