Romney suspends campaign

WASHINGTON -- Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney suspended his presidential campaign Thursday, telling a convention of conservative activists a protracted fight with John McCain would only aid the Democrats.

"I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must stand aside for our party and our country," Romney told the Conservative Political Action Conference. He said a Democratic victory in the 2008 presidential election would endanger America's security in a time of war.

"I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror," Romney told the CPAC. He told the group that if continued his campaign all the way to the GOP convention, similar to Ronald Reagan's effort in 1976 against Gerald Ford, "I'd forestall the launch of a national campaign and I'd frankly make it easier" for a Democrat to win.

His decision brings to an abrupt end the campaign of McCain's closest rival. Romney won primaries and caucuses Tuesday in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Utah and Colorado, but McCain stretched his delegate lead by winning such big states as California, New York and Illinois.

The suspension comes a little less than a year after the former Massachusetts governor and venture-capital CEO kicked off his campaign by saying the country needs "innovation and transformation." He said "lifelong politicians" won't make it happen.

McCain, speaking to CPAC a few hours after Romney, saluted his now-former rival. He asked the group, which has been hostile to his positions on immigration and campaign finance in particular, to back his presidential bid.

"It will be a campaign based on conservative principles," McCain said.

Romney's support and fundraising clout made him a major factor in the GOP race, but he struggled after failing to win either of the two early tests — Iowa and New Hampshire. McCain took the latter; former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, now McCain's only major rival but trailing him badly in Republican convention delegates, won the former. Texas Rep. Ron Paul remains in the race but has yet to win a primary or caucus.

Romney campaigned as a private-sector success story and Washington outsider. A Republican elected in Democrat-dominated Massachusetts, he also argued that his accomplishments, such as implementing a universal health care program in his state, could appeal to some Democrats should he win the 2008 GOP nomination.

Throughout the primary campaign, Romney had been dogged by questions about his past support for social issues. As a candidate for governor in 2002, Romney identified himself as supporting abortion rights, a position he no longer holds. Also, he supported some legal rights for gay couples in Massachusetts, although he has never supported gay marriage.

Romney also has faced questions about his Mormon faith by some Christian conservatives, who are a key GOP voting bloc. He recently said he would serve "no one religion, no one group" if elected and urged voters to embrace religious tolerance.

In early campaigning, Romney sought votes by casting himself as the guardian of the Reagan-era conservative triad — a three-legged stool, as the candidate put it — of a strong national defense, strong economy and strong families.

Fueled by what would grow to more than $35 million of personal donations, his campaign hired top-notch staff in the early voting states, and Romney scored an early win when his organization topped the field at the Iowa Straw Poll in August.

By that time, the national front-runners, McCain and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, had virtually ceded the lead-voting state to Romney.

Instead, McCain focused on New Hampshire, second on the calendar, while Giuliani employed an untested strategy of waiting out the early primary contests and instead staking his candidacy on a strong showing in the Jan. 29 Florida primary.

Romney's goal was to score back-to-back wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, clearing the field and creating momentum to roll through Florida — where he enjoyed the support of top aides to former Gov. Jeb Bush — and seal the nomination in the Super Tuesday contests. But his Iowa and New Hampshire losses forced him to change that tactic.

On the stump, he retooled his speech to harken back to the theme he broached when announcing his campaign — that America's future, and that of its government, were dependent on innovation. His campaign also hung new banners reading, "Washington is Broken," as well as a to-do list Romney would complete as president.

Romney and McCain went head-to-head in the Jan. 13 Michigan primary, and Romney won, in part by highlighting his background as a business consultant and venture capitalist. When McCain acknowledged what seemed to be obvious, that not all of Detroit's lost auto industry jobs would be recovered, Romney pounced.

He accused the senator of pessimism, outlining a $20 billion industry recovery package and telling audiences in economically ailing Michigan, "I will fight for every single job."

Romney also tweaked his stump speech to criticize McCain for stating that he was more familiar with foreign affairs and military matters than economic issues.

As the calendar progressed, however, McCain picked up a big-ticket win in the Jan. 19 South Carolina primary. Romney instead focused on his victory in the Nevada caucuses the same day.

Ten days later, the two squared off again in the Florida primary, where McCain scored a major upset after winning endorsements from the state's two top elected Republicans — Gov. Charlie Crist, a popular figure who had previously said he planned to remain neutral in the race, and Sen. Mel Martinez.

The following day, Giuliani dropped out of the race and endorsed McCain. A day later, popular California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his endorsement of McCain, reflecting a coalescing of Republican support behind the senator as he approached a Super Tuesday showdown with Romney.

Romney's final pitch was to label McCain a liberal like Clinton and Obama, a charge tantamount to heresy in the GOP. He was backed by conservative media voices like Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham, who introduced him at the CPAC conference.

Contributing: Associated Press; Randy Lilleston in McLean, Va.