With the Florida Republican presidential primary imminent and Newt Gingrich badly in need of a boost, former GOP candidate Herman Cain announced at an event Saturday night that he’s "officially and enthusiastically" endorsing fellow Georgia politico Newt Gingrich in the Republican presidential nominating race.

“I had it in my heart and mind a long time,” said Cain, who’d previously claimed that he wouldn’t back anyone to prevent a split among his base. “Speaker Gingrich is a patriot. Speaker Gingrich is not afraid of bold ideas.”

Cain ended his own White House bid in December amid a flurry of allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior with women, but has continued to be a Tea Party favorite and won a straw poll in Florida last summer. Whether his endorsement will influence Tuesday’s primary is uncertain and may well have come too late. According to recent polls former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney leads Gingrich by 11 to 15 points.

Cain told Fox News that he’s “not against” Romney and that if he wins the nomination he will support him.

“But right now, I'm hoping Newt Gingrich gets the nomination and I'm going to work, and try to see to it that he gets the nomination," Cain said.

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(Photo: Jonathan Ernst / Reuters)