Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry suspends his campaign

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced he’s suspending his flagging campaign.

In a speech to the Eagle Forum, a conservative group in Missouri, Perry said he believed the party was good hands and commended the broad GOP field.

“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 said, according to remarks emailed by his campaign.

“I share this news with no regrets. It has been a privilege and an honor to travel this country, to speak with the American people about their hopes and dreams, to see a sense of optimism prevalent despite a season of cynical politics.”

Perry entered the 2011 cycle as the GOP front-runner but failed to catch on after repeated stumbles, particularly in primary debates.

On his second try, Perry’s campaign again failed to gain traction. His announcement comes less than a week before the second Republican primary debate, where he was relegated to a stage for candidates at the bottom of the heap.