2016 GOP presidential field loses first candidate: Rick Perry

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry became the first major party candidate to drop out of the 2016 presidential race on Friday.

Perry worked hard to build support in South Carolina, which holds the South’s first presidential primary, during his a second run for the White House.

In addition to several stops in the state well ahead of his announced bid, Perry commissioned a trophy of James Bonham, a Saluda County native who became a hero at the battle of the Alamo, last year awarded to the winner of the annual football game between the University of South Carolina and Texas A&M, his alma mater.

One of Perry’s top advisors was former S.C. Republican party chairman Katon Dawson.

“When I gave my life to Christ, I said, ‘your ways are greater than my ways. Your will superior to mine.’ Today I submit that His will remains a mystery, but some things have become clear,” Perry said speaking from an event in St. Louis on Friday. “That is why today I am suspending my campaign for the presidency of the United States. 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.”

Perry’s campaign stopped paying most staff a month ago as fundraising fizzled. Most stuck around as volunteers to see if the campaign could make a comeback.

He was set to take part in the undercard debate Wednesday on CNN with other Republican presidential hopefuls drawing small poll numbers. He also accepted an invitation to a presidential forum in Greenville next week co-hosted by Gov. Nikki Haley that’s attracting front-runners Donald Trump and Ben Carson.

But his poll numbers remained among the weakest in the 17-candidate GOP field. S.C. Republican party chairman Matt Moore said last week that the Perry campaign was on life support.

Perry pulled the plug Friday.

His decision comes just weeks before GOP campaigns must pay the $40,000 to run in the South Carolina presidential primary.

Moore said he expects all 11 candidates on the main CNN debate stage next week to file by the Sept. 30 deadline.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of Seneca is the only candidate participating in the undercard debate to file for the S.C. primary.

Perry ended his 2012 presidential bid in South Carolina, just days before the primary.

Dawson and Perry’s lead campaign staff in South Carolina, Walter Whetsell and Le Frye, are expected to stay active in the race. They have ties to Graham after helping him with his Senate runs.

This story was originally published September 11, 2015 at 5:43 PM.