Canada

Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Marc Garneau takes part in the Liberal leadership debate in Mississauga, Ont., on Saturday, February 16, 2103. Sources close to Garneau say he is pulling out of the party's leadership race in the face of what appears to be an insurmountable lead for front-runner Justin Trudeau. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Liberal MP Marc Garneau, despite running a "solid second" in the federal Liberal leadership race, has ended his campaign and thrown his support behind front-runner Justin Trudeau.

Garneau says he made the decision after internal polling made it clear to him that despite his status in second place, winning would be impossible given Trudeau's lead.

The former astronaut and MP for Montreal's Westmount-Ville-Marie riding is making the announcement at an 11 a.m. ET press conference in Ottawa, but says he'll continue to be a loyal Liberal soldier.

The decision leaves seven candidates in the running.

Garneau, an MP since 2008, kicked off his campaign last November, stressing the economy as his key issue.

Voting for the Liberal leadership will be conducted online and by phone early next month, with the winner to be announced on April 14.