Newt Gingrich makes it official, suspends GOP presidential campaign

Newt Gingrich, in suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, admitted he won’t live on the moon, but said he still believes that his grandchildren will have the chance, CBS News reported.

Once considered a compelling candidate for the GOP, Gingrich made official today what many said happened months ago.

“Today, I am suspending the campaign, but suspending the campaign does not mean suspending citizenship,” he said at a press conference in Arlington, Va.

Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House, admitted his declaration of building a moon colony by the end of his second term was “probably not my most clever comment in this campaign,” CBS said.

However, he reaffirmed his belief that Americans should “go out and pursue great adventure.”

Missteps like his moon base idea made today’s announcement merely a formality for most, CNN reported. 

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His campaign foundered early after many campaign staffers walked out after Gingrich and wife Callista decided to vacation in Greece rather than work on their strategy.

He shined on television during live debates, but won just his home state of George and neighboring South Carolina in nomination contests.

Although he didn’t outright endorse Romney, he suggested he would work to help defeat President Obama in November.

“You know this is not a choice between Mitt Romney and Ronald Reagan, this is a choice between Mitt Romney and the most radical leftist president in American history,” Gingrich said, CNN reported.

Gingrich leaves the campaign with $4.3 million debt; however, he said that wouldn’t stop him from remaining political, according to Politico.

He talked of the importance of domestic energy, religious liberty and America remaining a global player.

The world has counted the US out in the past, he said, referencing world wars and anticipated Japanese economic domination through the 1980s, which has given way to China’s predicted rise.

And, of course, there are his personal passions.

“I’m cheerfully going to take back up the issue of space,” he said, Politico reported. “This is not a trivial area.”

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