Santorum reax
The Inquirer's Tom Fitzgerald:
He said that while he was abandoning his race, he was not giving up the fight to oust President Obama.
Santorum did not mention former Gov. Romney in the speech.
Instead, he spoke of being "fueled" by the parents of special needs children who were inspired by Bella and his role in fighting abortion rights, even when people said he could never win.
But "we were winning," Santorum said in a live televised news conference.
The NYT's Michael Shear and Jim Rutenberg:
As recently as December, Mr. Santorum was operating a shoe-string campaign in Iowa, traveling with just a handful of aides in a pickup truck. But his brand of conservative populism caught fire in Iowa, where he defeated Mr. Romney. And then it caught fire again in several Midwest primaries where he surprised Mr. Romney.
But ultimately, Mr. Santorum’s campaign struggled under a nearly-constant barrage of negative ads paid for by Mr. Romney and the “super PAC” supporting him, Restore our Future, which has spent millions in an effort to ensure that Mr. Romney captures the nomination in his second attempt.
Even as recently as last week, Mr. Santorum had argued fiercely that Mr. Romney is not sufficiently conservative on issues that matter to Republicans. And he has warned in the most blunt terms that Republicans risk losing in November to President Obama if they nominate Mr. Romney.
NBC writes on what it means to "suspend" rather than end a campaign -- it gives Santorum some political wiggle room and he can keep raising money to retire debt. Hillary Clinton's 2008 committee is still suspended, in fact.
From the Obama campaign:
CHICAGO, IL – “It’s no surprise that Mitt Romney finally was able to grind down his opponents under an avalanche of negative ads. But neither he nor his special interest allies will be able to buy the presidency with their negative attacks. The more the American people see of Mitt Romney, the less they like him and the less they trust him. While calling himself the ‘ideal candidate’ for the Tea Party, he has promised to return to the same policies that created the economic crisis and has alienated women, middle class families, and Hispanic Americans. Americans value a President who will fight every day to rebuild an economy in which hard work will pay, responsibility is rewarded and everyone plays by the same rules. And that President is Barack Obama.” – Jim Messina, Obama for America Campaign Manager
From Sen. Pat Toomey, endorsing Mitt Romney:
Philadelphia, PA – Today, U.S. Senator Pat Toomey endorsed Governor Mitt Romney as the Republican nominee for president and has issued the following statement:
“I am proud to endorse Governor Mitt Romney as the Republican nominee for president. I am confident Gov. Romney will be a great president and will return our country to the conservative principles that make our nation great.
“I also congratulate Senator Santorum on a hard fought primary race. He put up a valiant fight and deserves to be commended for his spirited effort.
“Now is the time for conservatives to rally around Gov. Romney and help deliver a victory in Pennsylvania and America this November.
“Our country stands at a crossroads. In the U.S. Senate, I work with my colleagues every day on trying to solve our fiscal problems, but President Obama has insisted on job-destroying tax increases and regulations. With our national debt ballooning and our economy struggling to recover, we need to elect a conservative president who is ready to tackle our nation’s challenges on day one. With his extensive private sector experience, his knowledge of economic issues, and his gubernatorial track record, Gov. Romney is exactly the kind of leader our country needs to solve our fiscal crisis and restore American prosperity.”
From remaining candidates Gingrich and Paul, via Politico:
"Rick has waged a remarkable campaign. His success is a testament to his tenacity and the power of conservative principles," Gingrich said in a statement. "I am committed to staying in this race all the way to Tampa so that the conservative movement has a real choice. I humbly ask Senator Santorum's supporters to visit Newt.org to review my conservative record and join us as we bring these values to Tampa. We know well that only a conservative can protect life, defend the Constitution, restore jobs and growth and return to a balanced budget."
And Paul also congratulated Santorum on a hard-fought race.
"Congratulations to Senator Santorum on running such a spirited campaign. Dr. Paul is now the last – and real – conservative alternative to Mitt Romney," the campaign's statement said. "We plan to continue running hard, secure delegates, and press the fight for limited, constitutional government in Tampa."
The campaign could have kept going if the Texas primary was winner-take-all, spokesman Hogan Gidley tells the HuffPost:
"Texas had to be winner take all," said Gidley. "That would have been very, very helpful. Obviously, that is 155 delegates sitting on the table, and we know there have been some ... within the conservative movement trying to get that accomplished. But that was becoming increasingly difficult."
Asked how much should be read into the absence of Romney's name from Santorum's speech, Gidley replied: "nothing."
"Governor Romney has called Rick and asked for a meeting to discuss an endorsement," he explained, "but we will see how that goes in the next couple days."
From RNC chair Reince Priebus:
WASHINGTON - Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus released the following statement regarding Senator Rick Santorum's decision to suspend his campaign:
"Today, Senator Santorum has made a commendable decision. He has decided to put his country, party, and desire to defeat President Obama ahead of any personal ambition. I applaud his decision and congratulate him on the campaign he has run," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.
"Senator Santorum has run a strong and admirable race. He has exemplified what a grassroots campaign is all about. He started out with little more than a pickup truck, going county to county in Iowa. As he exits the race today, he does so from the national stage.
"I look forward to working with Rick over the months ahead in a united effort to save the country from the devastating policies of Barack Obama. Rick has already reached out to say he will be part of the team effort to ensure Republican victories up and down the ballot in November. He will continue to be an active leader and persuasive voice in our Party and in the larger conservative movement.
"We all know Rick as a dedicated family man. Throughout his political career, he has said he is a 'father first.' In his presidential campaign, Rick has stayed true to his values, always putting his duties as father and husband above all.
"I thank Rick for his service, his ideas, and his tireless efforts. The most consequential election of our lifetimes stands ahead of us, and I know he will continue to be a leader in the important work to come."
From PA GOP chair Rob Gleason:
HARRISBURG, PA – Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement in response to former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum’s decision to suspend his presidential campaign:
“For 16 years, Rick Santorum represented the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with honor and distinction as a member of the U.S. House of Representative and the U.S. Senate. He was a leader on national issues and won the respect of Republicans, Democrats and Independents as a fierce advocate and someone who fervently advocated for Pennsylvanians.
“As one of Pennsylvania’s favorite sons, the Republican Party of Pennsylvania congratulates Senator Santorum on another fine campaign. Starting in the single digits nationally, just the way he did in 1990 in his first run for Congress, and then exploding onto the national scene was nothing new for those of us who have known him over the years. It was just Rick being Rick. After winning multiple Republican Primaries and Caucuses, the nation has had a chance to witness his passion for America firsthand.
“We send Rick, Karen, Elizabeth, John, Daniel, Sarah Maria, Peter, Patrick and Bella our best wishes. We also are thankful for Bella’s speedy recovery and we will keep her in our thoughts and prayers.”
“We look forward to building upon the momentum our Republican candidates have created within the Republican Party to create a strong, national campaign to put an end to Obama’s liberal tax-and-spend agenda once and for all. By sending a Republican to the White House, America will be on the path toward more efficient government and pro-growth economic policies. That will be more than just a victory for our party. It will be a victory for our country.”
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO:
Harrisburg, PA – With the news that Rick Santorum is suspending his campaign in Pennsylvania today, it is likely that Mitt Romney will begin to moderate his message tomorrow. However, Mitt Romney will find it hard to escape the statements he has made up until now, statements that have made it clear he is not the candidate of working people.
“Mitt Romney may feel that he has the room to swing back to the center now that Rick Santorum is dropping out,” Said Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale. “But working Pennsylvanians won’t forget the statements Mitt Romney has already made.”
Statements Mitt Romney won’t be able to escape:
· “Corporations are people, my friend… of course they are.” (8/11 Washington Post)
· "I like being able to fire people.” (1/12 CBS News)
· "I'm not concerned about the very poor.” (2/12 ABC News)
“Mitt Romney’s willingness to say anything to get elected will hurt him with in the general election.” Said Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder. “Let’s see how quickly he walks back his support for Paul Ryan’s plan to end Medicare, cut taxes for the wealthy and reward corporations for shipping jobs overseas.”