The influential National Review magazine is calling on Newt Gingrich to leave the GOP presidential race.

In an editorial titled "Santorum's turn," the magazine founded by iconic conservative William F. Buckley Jr. makes the case that the GOP nomination fight "could be headed" to one between the former Pennsylvania senator and Mitt Romney.

National Review, which has taken Gingrich to task before, says it "would be a grave mistake for the party to make someone with such poor judgement and persistent unpopularity its presidential nominee."

The editorial goes on to say that it's unclear whether Gingrich, who has won only the South Carolina primary, remains in the race "because he still believes he could become president next year or because he wants to avenge his wounded pride: an ambiguity that suggests the problem with him as a leader."

Santorum is praised for "conducting himself rather impressively in his moments of triumph," after now having won four state contests. Romney, meanwhile, is called "undramatic" and "transactional" and the magazine says he should "tell conservatives what they will get out of a Romney presidency."

In a December editorial, the magazine argued that Santorum, Romney and Jon Huntsman deserved "serious consideration" and that nominating Gingrich could possibly cost the Republican Party both a majority in Congress and the White House.