Former US Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has formally endorsed his one-time bitter rival Mitt Romney, the party's presumptive nominee.
Santorum's campaign website announced the endorsement early on Tuesday morning, nearly a month after he quit his campaign to win the party's nomination for this year's presidential election. The former Pennsylvanian senator also urged his supporters to back Romney's campaign in an email sent out late on Monday night.
'Above all else, we both agree that President (Barack) Obama must be defeated. The task will not be easy. It will require all hands on deck if our nominee is to be victorious. Gov. Romney will be that nominee and he has my endorsement and support to win this the most critical election of our lifetime,' Santorum said.
Santorum said he had felt it 'completely impossible' to consider an endorsement until after a meeting to discuss 'critical' issues with Romney.
He acknowledged the over a hour meeting with Romney, who visited him last Friday in Pittsburgh, was 'candid' and 'productive'.
However, Santorum also reminded his supporters of the still-lingering differences between him and the man he once called 'the worst Republican in the country.
Santorum's campaign website announced the endorsement early on Tuesday morning, nearly a month after he quit his campaign to win the party's nomination for this year's presidential election. The former Pennsylvanian senator also urged his supporters to back Romney's campaign in an email sent out late on Monday night.
'Above all else, we both agree that President (Barack) Obama must be defeated. The task will not be easy. It will require all hands on deck if our nominee is to be victorious. Gov. Romney will be that nominee and he has my endorsement and support to win this the most critical election of our lifetime,' Santorum said.
Santorum said he had felt it 'completely impossible' to consider an endorsement until after a meeting to discuss 'critical' issues with Romney.
He acknowledged the over a hour meeting with Romney, who visited him last Friday in Pittsburgh, was 'candid' and 'productive'.
However, Santorum also reminded his supporters of the still-lingering differences between him and the man he once called 'the worst Republican in the country.