IRVING, Texas — Mike Huckabee bowed to reality Tuesday and out of the Republican presidential race.

"We kept the faith," he told his end-of-the-road rally Tuesday after John McCain clinched the nomination. "I'd rather lose an election than lose the principles that got me into politics in the first place."

The genial conservative won the leadoff Iowa caucuses, making him a sudden but short-lived sensation, and then seven other states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana and Kansas. Meantime, John McCain piled up big victories on his way to winning the prize on Tuesday night.

The writing was on the wall for weeks, but the former Arkansas governor hung on until McCain secured the necessary delegates.

"We started this effort with very little recognition and virtually no resources," Huckabee told supporters. "We ended with slightly more recognition and very few resources."

The crowd laughed. "But what a journey," he said. "What a journey. A journey of a lifetime."

Huckabee rarely raised a negative word during the campaign about McCain, a man he clearly likes, and he called him Tuesday night to congratulate him.

Huckabee said he extended "my commitment to him and to the party to do everything possible to unite our party, but more importantly to unite our country."

Huckabee vowed: "We aren't going away completely. We want to be a part of helping to keep the issues alive that have kept us in this race."

An ordained Baptist minister himself, Huckabee spoke the language of the pastors and preached in their megachurches. He compared abortion to slavery and played up his opposition to gay marriage.

At breakfasts and large gatherings with national Christian leaders, Huckabee urged pastors to use their address books and e-mail lists to mobilize their flocks.

For a time, conservatives dissatisfied with McCain were drawn to Huckabee, but the party began to unite behind the likely — and now certain — nominee.