Rick Santorum announced today that he is suspending his campaign for president. Mitt Romney has held a lead in the delegate count and, to many, has been the presumed delegate. The primary in Santorum’s home state of Pennsylvania is still two weeks away. Santorum lost his Senate seat there two years ago.
Citing concerns for his ailing daughter, Santorum bowed out at a press conference in Gettysburg, Pa. Santorum apparently called Mitt Romney a day earlier to tell him of his decision to suspend his campaign.
In the conference, Santorum sought to paint his campaign as a success.
We were winning in a very different way. We were touching hearts and raising issues that others didn’t want raised.
We can’t have a strong economy without having strong familes and a strong moral fiber.
Amazing thing that sweater vest. The Twitterverse went wild… the sweater vest became the official wardrobe of the Santorum campaign. We sourced that in a company that was making them in Minnesota. We’re the best customer they’ve ever had in their entire history.
It’s been a wonderful story after story. Even today, we have people working for us in Texas to make sure we have a winner-take-all primary. It turns out it wasn’t my voice, it was your voice.
People say, “How does this happen?” How were we able to come from nowhere? Miracle after miracle, this race was as improbable as any race you are likely to ever see for President.
Against all odds. we won 11 states. We won more counties than all the other people in this race combined.
We made a decision to get into this race at our kitchen table. We made a decision that this race is over for me, we will be suspending the campaign effective today.
We are going to continue to fight to defeat President Barack Obama. We are going to take back the House. We are going to take back America.
He spoke of a “violent and radical Islam” his campaign opposed, the excitement of the Tea Party with his campaign. He quoted Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address about all men being created equal.
The conference room was full of press, but had been packed along the sides with Santorum staffers and supporters. They applauded loudly as he left the room. Santorum refused to take any questions, including one about whether he would now endorse Mitt Romney.
As expected, the Twitter snark kicked in immediately…
Santorum: “We are not done fighting,” adding “you know, except for me, who is quitting and stuff.”
“Hello, I’m from a show called Dancing with the Stars, may I please speak with Rick Santorum?”
Santorum is living proof of the value in running for POTUS. Started w hardly nothing will leave w book deal, more speech $ & pundit gig
BREAKING: Rick Santorum drops out of presidential race; cites shortage of both funds and hillbillies.
Glad Santorum stepped aside so Newt can finally win this thing.
In suspending his campaign, Rick Santorum ends not only his bid for the presidency, but any hopes of bringing back the Spanish Inquisition.