Update (11:24 a.m. EST): "Today I am suspending my campaign for the presidency. I believe it is time for our party to unite around the candidate best equipped to beat Barack Obama ... I believe that candidate is Gov. Mitt Romney. As for the Huntsman family, we step down with an even greater appreciation for American democracy."

Update (11:21 a.m. EST): "This race has degenerated into an onslaught of negative attacks not worthy of the American people," Huntsman said after introducing his campaign team and family at the top of the press conference, which started about 15 minutes late. "The current toxic form of our political discourse does not help our cause," he said.

The news came out earlier on Monday, and at 11 a.m. Jon Huntsman's due to make it official: He's expected to announce that he'll drop out of the Republican presidential primary race after some pretty poor showings in the first few votes. He's also expected to endorse Mitt Romney, a fellow "Mormon ex-governor with nice hair and strong ties to Utah," as The Atlantic Wire's Dashiell Bennett described him earlier on Monday. Catch the announcement below, and check back here for highlights.

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Adam Martin