Gingrich Becomes 'Citizen' Campaigner (Update 1)

Updated from 10:16 a.m. EDT with reports Gingrich will formally drop out May 1

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Newt Gingrich said Wednesday he expects Mitt Romney to be the Republican Party nominee for president, but stopped short of conceding the race.

The former House speaker spoke at a civic club in suburban Charlotte, N.C., after Romney grabbed virtually every delegate available in Tuesday night's five primaries across the Northeast, according to The Associated Press.

Gingrich admitted Monday in an NBC News interview that he would reassess his campaign if he lost Delaware -- the one-time GOP frontrunner lost there 56.5% to 27.1% to Romney.

Gingrich said he would now campaign as a "citizen," but didn't clarify what that meant, according to the AP.

"I've been coming here a long time as a citizen. I will keep coming here as a citizen. I have a schedule for the rest of the week as a citizen," he said.

Fox News and CNN have reported that Gingrich will likely formally drop out of the race and endorse Romney on Tuesday, May 1.

-- Written by Joe Deaux in New York.

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