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| Santorum drops out of the Republican primary race and endorses Marco Rubio | Santorum drops out of the Republican primary race and endorses Marco Rubio |
| (7 months later) | |
| Rick Santorum ended his presidential campaign and endorsed rival Marco Rubio on Wednesday. | Rick Santorum ended his presidential campaign and endorsed rival Marco Rubio on Wednesday. |
| In an interview with Greta Van Susteren on Fox News, the former Pennsylvania senator announced he was suspending his campaign and switching his support to Rubio for the Republican presidential nomination. | In an interview with Greta Van Susteren on Fox News, the former Pennsylvania senator announced he was suspending his campaign and switching his support to Rubio for the Republican presidential nomination. |
| “The best way that I can do what I set out to do when we announced to run for president… [is] by not continuing our campaign,” said Santorum, who won the Iowa caucuses during his first presidential campaign in 2012. “We are suspending our campaign as of this moment.” | “The best way that I can do what I set out to do when we announced to run for president… [is] by not continuing our campaign,” said Santorum, who won the Iowa caucuses during his first presidential campaign in 2012. “We are suspending our campaign as of this moment.” |
| Announcing his backing for Rubio, Santorum said the freshman senator from Florida was “in a better position to win this race”. | Announcing his backing for Rubio, Santorum said the freshman senator from Florida was “in a better position to win this race”. |
| “He’s a tremendously gifted young man, and he’s a born leader,” he said. “He is the next generation.” | “He’s a tremendously gifted young man, and he’s a born leader,” he said. “He is the next generation.” |
| Although Santorum had long been heavily courted by Donald Trump, several sources told the Guardian that his decision was animated by a strong desire to thwart the candidacy of Ted Cruz as much as by enthusiasm for Rubio. | Although Santorum had long been heavily courted by Donald Trump, several sources told the Guardian that his decision was animated by a strong desire to thwart the candidacy of Ted Cruz as much as by enthusiasm for Rubio. |
| So thankful & grateful for your support. Just not our year. So today please join me in supporting @marcorubio pic.twitter.com/VhgHo9trNp | So thankful & grateful for your support. Just not our year. So today please join me in supporting @marcorubio pic.twitter.com/VhgHo9trNp |
| John Brabender, Santorum’s longtime strategist and confidant, told the Guardian: “I think that Rick has some problems with Ted Cruz – he says too many things to get elected and sometimes questions his core convictions on immigration.” | John Brabender, Santorum’s longtime strategist and confidant, told the Guardian: “I think that Rick has some problems with Ted Cruz – he says too many things to get elected and sometimes questions his core convictions on immigration.” |
| The veteran Republican operative added: “I think that he sees the difference between Cruz and Rubio is that Ted is someone who is very good at saying how we are going to tear down the system and he sees Marco as someone who is going to take what’s great about America and rebuild us to what we are capable of being.” | The veteran Republican operative added: “I think that he sees the difference between Cruz and Rubio is that Ted is someone who is very good at saying how we are going to tear down the system and he sees Marco as someone who is going to take what’s great about America and rebuild us to what we are capable of being.” |
| Santorum, who won the Iowa caucuses in 2012 and kept up a strong presence in the state since ending his first campaign, finished in a disappointing 11th place in the caucuses on Monday. An ardent social conservative, Santorum faced a crowded competition against new faces such as Cruz and Ben Carson, and was never able to catch fire in polls. | Santorum, who won the Iowa caucuses in 2012 and kept up a strong presence in the state since ending his first campaign, finished in a disappointing 11th place in the caucuses on Monday. An ardent social conservative, Santorum faced a crowded competition against new faces such as Cruz and Ben Carson, and was never able to catch fire in polls. |
| The size of the GOP field, which at one time included 17 candidates, meant that Santorum never appeared in a single main debate. Instead, the reigning winner of the Iowa caucuses was the only Republican candidate to appear in each and every undercard debate. | The size of the GOP field, which at one time included 17 candidates, meant that Santorum never appeared in a single main debate. Instead, the reigning winner of the Iowa caucuses was the only Republican candidate to appear in each and every undercard debate. |
| According to Brabender, Santorum weighed a number of candidates to back, including Jeb Bush, who was “someone [the former Pennsylvania senator] gave a lot of consideration to”. | According to Brabender, Santorum weighed a number of candidates to back, including Jeb Bush, who was “someone [the former Pennsylvania senator] gave a lot of consideration to”. |
| The longtime aide also pushed back on speculation that the outgoing candidate might have endorsed Trump. While Santorum does have “a lot of respect” for Trump, Brabender said, a choice between Trump and Cruz would have been “a very hard endorsement”. | The longtime aide also pushed back on speculation that the outgoing candidate might have endorsed Trump. While Santorum does have “a lot of respect” for Trump, Brabender said, a choice between Trump and Cruz would have been “a very hard endorsement”. |
| In a response to question about the endorsement from reporters in New Hampshire, Rubio said: “Well, it means a lot. I have tremendous respect for Rick.” | In a response to question about the endorsement from reporters in New Hampshire, Rubio said: “Well, it means a lot. I have tremendous respect for Rick.” |
| The Florida senator added: “We look forward to teaming up. We hope he’s going to be very active in our campaign.” | The Florida senator added: “We look forward to teaming up. We hope he’s going to be very active in our campaign.” |
| Santorum is the third Republican candidate to drop out of the race since the Iowa caucuses, joining Mike Huckabee and Rand Paul. Neither Paul nor Huckabee have endorsed a former rival. | Santorum is the third Republican candidate to drop out of the race since the Iowa caucuses, joining Mike Huckabee and Rand Paul. Neither Paul nor Huckabee have endorsed a former rival. |