Mitt Romney on Tuesday effectively won the Republican Party crown to challenge President Barack Obama in November elections, as chief rival Rick Santorum dropped his long-shot White House bid.
“This presidential race is over for me,” Mr. Santorum told reporters in Gettysburg, in his home State of Pennsylvania.
Despite an upset victory in the first Republican nominating contest in Iowa in January that led to a surprising showing with victories in 10 more States, Mr. Santorum failed to build sufficient momentum to derail frontrunner Mr. Romney.
With Mr. Romney enjoying a commanding lead in the delegates race that determines the nominee, the Republican establishment had been urging Mr. Santorum to step aside and allow the party to coalesce around a single candidate. Mr. Romney swiftly congratulated Mr. Santorum for being “an able and worthy competitor”. — AFP
