At a press conference in Charleston, S.C., Perry called Gingrich "a conservative visionary who can transform our country."
"Newt is not perfect, but who among us is?" Perry said. "The fact is, there is forgiveness for those who seek God." He mentioned the importance of redemption in Christianity.
Perry, who was at the top of the polls when he first announced his candidacy last summer, placed a disappointing fifth in the Iowa caucuses and sixth in the New Hampshire primaries, where he received less than 1 percent of the vote.
South Carolina Republicans will vote in the state's primaries on Saturday
