Rick Perry will be dropping out of the GOP race for the presidential nomination today, and sources say he “will make the announcement before the CNN debate in South Carolina” tonight.

South Carolina’s primary is to be held on Saturday. Sources have told Politico that Perry is “expected to endorse Newt Gingrich,” and ”Gingrich and Perry had a secret meeting to discuss a possible endorsement.”

Politico notes that Perry’s endorsement “gives the surging Gingrich a huge boost heading into the final debate tonight, and the South Carolina primary on Saturday, in which he’s already closing in on Mitt Romney.”

But wait… Last night Drudge broke the news that ABC News has an exclusive interview with Newt’s ex-wife Marianne Gingrich and “her explosive revelations are set to rock the trail.” The Gingrich campaign is now in full on damage control mode, before ABC airs the interview on Nightline tonight.

Perry’s endorsement could mean diddly to conservative Newt Gingrich at this point, despite Newt’s rise in the South Carolina polls.

Stay tuned…