Rick Santorum, candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination, has ended his run for the GOP presidential nomination, he announced at a news conference from a hotel in Gettysburg, Pa., today, CNN reports.
Despite winning primary contests in 11 states, failure to win any of the three primaries last week in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia heaped pressure on Santorum’s campaign.
Santorum, accompanied at the podium by his wife and several other family members, explained to journalists gathered at today’s news conference that the recent hospitalization of his young daughter Bella, who has a rare genetic disorder, had impacted his decision to end his campaign.
He said that his campaign had “painted a hopeful, positive vision for the country.”
Santorum’s speech also included a number of lighter moments, including recognition of the impact his wardrobe – the famous sweater vest – had had on the visibility of his campaign.
The former Pennsylvania senator won 275 delegates according to CNN’s delegate tracker, which translated into just under one-third of the vote through the primary race.
The suspension of Santorum’s campaign all but formally hands the GOP nomination to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
Rick Santorum photo via Shutterstock
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