Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry was the first candidate to drop out of the 2016 presidential race. He announced the suspension of his campaign today to the Eagle Forum of St. Louis.
The announcement came one day after CNN released the lineup for their primetime CNN Reagan Library Debate on Sep. 16, based on the leading 11 Republican candidates. Perry did not make the cut, coming in at 12th with only 1.814 percent support from likely Republican voters.
In his [remarks](https://rickperry.org/governor-perrys-remarks-to-the-eagle-forum) to the Eagle Forum, Perry listed grievances, as well as words of advice to Americans.
“We must return to great ideas, to our belief in the power of free individuals, free markets, and free Americans standing watch for liberty wherever it is threated (sic),” Perry said. “This is up to us. It is up to you. And to me. Let’s roll up our sleeves. Let’s get to work. Let’s make America, America again.”
Perry’s campaign lasted 97 days.
Perry also made comments to the Eagle Forum that seemed to target the top GOP candidate, Donald Trump, R-NY, whom Perry recently said “demonstrates a serious lack of character and basic decency” and distracts from the “serious issues facing our country.”
“The conservative movement has always been about principles, not personalities,” Perry said. “Our nominee should embody those principles. He – or she – must make the case for the cause of conservatism more than the cause of their own celebrity.”
Perry also ran for president in the 2012 election, where he started with 29 percent support, but eventually lost the nomination to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.