(Newser)
–
The rollercoaster that has been the GOP presidential primary ended with a whimper today, as Newt Gingrich more-or-less dropped out and more-or-less endorsed Mitt Romney. "It's pretty clear Gov. Romney is gonna be the nominee," Gingrich said in a speech in North Carolina, according to CBS News. "I think you have to at some point be honest with what's happening in the real world, as opposed to what you'd like to have happened."
Gingrich's admission comes after Romney walloped him in all five of yesterday's primaries. "You have to give him some credit," Gingrich said. "I think obviously that I would be a better candidate, but the objective fact is the voters didn't think that." Gingrich urged the party to unite around Romney, but said he would continue to campaign in North Carolina this week "as a citizen." Sources tell Fox News that he will officially drop out on Tuesday and will "more than likely" officially endorse Romney at that time.
