Eyes on Gingrich as Cain steps out

All eyes are on Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich after challenger Herman Cain suspended his campaign, denouncing "false and unproved" sexual accusations.

Cain, holding hands with his wife Olivia as he walked to the stage, announced in front of a sympathetic audience in his home city of Atlanta, Georgia, that he was putting his bid on hold.

Without mentioning the nature of the accusations that undermined his campaign, Cain declared: "I am at peace with my wife. And she is at peace with me.

"I've made mistakes professionally, personally, as a candidate, in terms of how I run my campaign. And I take responsibility for the mistakes that I've made. And I've been the very first to own up to any mistakes I've made," Cain said.

While he appeared to have weathered the initial storm as several women came forward to accuse the former chief executive of Godfather's Pizza of sexual misconduct, he was thrown off course last week when an Atlanta businesswoman, Ginger White, spoke of their consensual relationship which lasted almost until he declared his candidacy. Cain's strategy has been to deny everything, including having a sexual relationship with White, although he acknowledged they had been friends.

To chants of "Herman, Herman," he went down blasting the media elite and the political elite in Washington, and hinted strongly that he would endorse a conservative candidate as he thanked the Tea Party for support.

Although Cain was trailing in the polls, his endorsement could be decisive in helping Gingrich secure the nomination.

The bombastic former House Speaker is leading the polls in the all-important state of Iowa, which holds its caucuses in January, and boasted on TV last week that he would be the Republican nominee.

According to a survey in the Des Moines Register at the weekend, he has 25 per cent of the vote from the state's probable Republican voters, compared with 8 per cent for Cain.

Texan Congressman Ron Paul was in second place with 18 per cent and Mitt Romney, who has been vying with Gingrich for the candidacy to challenge President Barack Obama in the election a year from now, came third, with 16 per cent.

Gingrich was hurt earlier in the campaign over revelations of a six-figure jewellery credit line at Tiffany's, causing critics to suggest he should not be entrusted with the nation's finances if he is incapable of looking after his own.

On the personal front too, the thrice-married Gingrich is vulnerable, although the skeletons in his wardrobe concerning his adultery came out years ago.

And recent controversy has focused on his role as a paid lobbyist - he says consultant - to Freddie Mac, the mortgage giant bailed out by the government.