reuterspolitics: Rick Santorum suspends GOP nominee campaign U.S. conservative Rick Santorum dropped out of his presidential campaign on Tuesday after falling far behind front-runner Mitt Romney in the race for the Republican nomination. The former senator from Pennsylvania said he was suspending his campaign, effectively ending his bid to be the Republican who will face President Barack Obama in the November 6 general election. “We will never be a country that can go forward as a great and powerful country again unless we remember who we are and what makes us Americans. That’s what our campaign was about,” Santorum said in Gettysburg, near the Civil War battle site. READ MORE: Santorum pulls out of U.S. presidential race
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reuterspolitics:

Rick Santorum suspends GOP nominee campaign

U.S. conservative Rick Santorum dropped out of his presidential campaign on Tuesday after falling far behind front-runner Mitt Romney in the race for the Republican nomination.

The former senator from Pennsylvania said he was suspending his campaign, effectively ending his bid to be the Republican who will face President Barack Obama in the November 6 general election.

“We will never be a country that can go forward as a great and powerful country again unless we remember who we are and what makes us Americans. That’s what our campaign was about,” Santorum said in Gettysburg, near the Civil War battle site.

READ MORE: Santorum pulls out of U.S. presidential race

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney had this assignment for Rick Santorum on Tuesday to make light of his chief rival’s frequent tussles with the news media: “Press secretary.” Romney, who sometimes struggles to connect with everyday voters, appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” for an interview that was at times serious and at times humorous. The strait-laced former Massachusetts governor was quickly sidetracked into commenting on Santorum’s recent vow to crack down on pornography if he were to be elected president. “Did you ever think we’d be talking about porn, with all the other things in this election?” Leno asked. “I didn’t know we were talking about porn,” Romney said to laughter from the audience. READ MORE: Romney has job for Santorum:  press secretary
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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney had this assignment for Rick Santorum on Tuesday to make light of his chief rival’s frequent tussles with the news media: “Press secretary.”

Romney, who sometimes struggles to connect with everyday voters, appeared on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” for an interview that was at times serious and at times humorous.

The strait-laced former Massachusetts governor was quickly sidetracked into commenting on Santorum’s recent vow to crack down on pornography if he were to be elected president.

“Did you ever think we’d be talking about porn, with all the other things in this election?” Leno asked.

“I didn’t know we were talking about porn,” Romney said to laughter from the audience.

READ MORE: Romney has job for Santorum:  press secretary

“I don’t care what the unemployment rate is going to be. It doesn’t matter to me. My campaign doesn’t hinge on unemployment rates and growth rates.” Republican White House hopeful Rick Santorum said on Monday he did not care about the U.S. unemployment rate, perhaps the nation’s most closely watched economic indicator, despite being embroiled in a campaign largely focused on the still-sputtering economy. Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania known mainly for a strong religious conservatism, is battling Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and the frontrunner in the race to oppose President Barack Obama in the November election. Read more: Santorum says he doesn’t care about unemployment rate
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“I don’t care what the unemployment rate is going to be. It doesn’t matter to me. My campaign doesn’t hinge on unemployment rates and growth rates.”

Republican White House hopeful Rick Santorum said on Monday he did not care about the U.S. unemployment rate, perhaps the nation’s most closely watched economic indicator, despite being embroiled in a campaign largely focused on the still-sputtering economy.

Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania known mainly for a strong religious conservatism, is battling Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and the frontrunner in the race to oppose President Barack Obama in the November election.

Read more: Santorum says he doesn’t care about unemployment rate

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may be headed for an important victory in Illinois on Tuesday that would help him put more distance between himself and Rick Santorum, his chief rival for the Republican presidential nomination. A new poll by Public Policy Polling said Romney leads the conservative Santorum by 45 percent to 30 percent in Illinois. Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich had 12 percent and libertarian Congressman Ron Paul, 10 percent. Romney, who has struggled to put away Santorum, leads the former Pennsylvania senator in the race for the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican presidential nomination. He has 518 delegates to Santorum’s 239, according to CNN. A victory in Illinois, combined with his win in Puerto Rico and sweep of its 20 delegates on Saturday, would put Romney one step closer to becoming the party’s candidate to face Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election. Read more: Romney leads in Illinois poll over Santorum
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Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may be headed for an important victory in Illinois on Tuesday that would help him put more distance between himself and Rick Santorum, his chief rival for the Republican presidential nomination.

A new poll by Public Policy Polling said Romney leads the conservative Santorum by 45 percent to 30 percent in Illinois. Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich had 12 percent and libertarian Congressman Ron Paul, 10 percent.

Romney, who has struggled to put away Santorum, leads the former Pennsylvania senator in the race for the 1,144 delegates needed to win the Republican presidential nomination. He has 518 delegates to Santorum’s 239, according to CNN.

A victory in Illinois, combined with his win in Puerto Rico and sweep of its 20 delegates on Saturday, would put Romney one step closer to becoming the party’s candidate to face Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.

Read more: Romney leads in Illinois poll over Santorum

Mitt Romney fought to open an unassailable lead over chief rival Rick Santorum in the race for the Republican U.S. presidential nomination on Tuesday, with Ohio the biggest prize among 10 states holding contests. Romney, the winner of the past five state races, carried momentum into “Super Tuesday,” the biggest day so far in the roller coaster Republican campaign. Some 419 of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the party’s nomination are at stake. Polls show Romney has effectively erased the more conservative Santorum’s lead in Ohio, a traditional bellwether state that could play an important role in deciding the Republican nominee to challenge Democratic President Barack Obama on November 6. Read more: Romney, Santorum look to Ohio for Super TuesdayLive blog: Super Tuesday events 
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Mitt Romney fought to open an unassailable lead over chief rival Rick Santorum in the race for the Republican U.S. presidential nomination on Tuesday, with Ohio the biggest prize among 10 states holding contests.

Romney, the winner of the past five state races, carried momentum into “Super Tuesday,” the biggest day so far in the roller coaster Republican campaign. Some 419 of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the party’s nomination are at stake.

Polls show Romney has effectively erased the more conservative Santorum’s lead in Ohio, a traditional bellwether state that could play an important role in deciding the Republican nominee to challenge Democratic President Barack Obama on November 6.

Read more: Romney, Santorum look to Ohio for Super Tuesday
Live blog: Super Tuesday events 

Just stop talking.

Arlen Specter’s advice to Rick Santorum in 2006 when the Pennsylvania senator was running for re-election.

Reuters Politics has a special report on now-GOP presidential nominee hopeful Santorum’s wins and his self-inflicted wounds.

Follow along with the Reuters team during tonight's CNN debate

Join our live blog for rolling analysis, insight and commentary during tonight’s Arizona GOP presidential debate.

After months on the sidelines, Rick Santorum finally gets his chance at center stage in a debate of Republican presidential candidates on Wednesday, as well as the increased scrutiny that comes with it. Santorum, surging in opinion polls, is likely to face tough questions over his strong conservative views on social issues when he and rivals Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul gather for the 8 p.m. EST debate sponsored by CNN. With the March 6 “Super Tuesday” nominating contests in 10 states approaching, this may be the last major opportunity for all the candidates to make their case before a national audience on why they should be the Republicans’ choice to face President Barack Obama in the November 6 election. Read more: At Arizona debate, Santorum to get his turn in spotlight
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After months on the sidelines, Rick Santorum finally gets his chance at center stage in a debate of Republican presidential candidates on Wednesday, as well as the increased scrutiny that comes with it.

Santorum, surging in opinion polls, is likely to face tough questions over his strong conservative views on social issues when he and rivals Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul gather for the 8 p.m. EST debate sponsored by CNN.

With the March 6 “Super Tuesday” nominating contests in 10 states approaching, this may be the last major opportunity for all the candidates to make their case before a national audience on why they should be the Republicans’ choice to face President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.

Read more: At Arizona debate, Santorum to get his turn in spotlight

Yesterday, GOP presidential nominee hopeful Rick Santorum followed other candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney along with President Barack Obama in releasing his tax returns. The above Reuters graphic shows how the four men’s 2010 tax returns stack up against each other. [REUTERS]
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Yesterday, GOP presidential nominee hopeful Rick Santorum followed other candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney along with President Barack Obama in releasing his tax returns.

The above Reuters graphic shows how the four men’s 2010 tax returns stack up against each other. [REUTERS]

Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum claimed a surge of momentum and fundraising on Wednesday, a day after his shocking sweep of nominating contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri that dealt a blow to front-runner Mitt Romney. Even though Romney holds strong advantages in financing and organization, his campaign will have to refocus to fight the challenge from Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania known for his socially conservative views. “We definitely are the campaign with the momentum, the enthusiasm on the ground,” Santorum said on CNN. Read more: Santorum claims momentum with win in three states
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Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum claimed a surge of momentum and fundraising on Wednesday, a day after his shocking sweep of nominating contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri that dealt a blow to front-runner Mitt Romney.

Even though Romney holds strong advantages in financing and organization, his campaign will have to refocus to fight the challenge from Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania known for his socially conservative views.

“We definitely are the campaign with the momentum, the enthusiasm on the ground,” Santorum said on CNN.

Read more: Santorum claims momentum with win in three states