Romney endorses McCain

Mitt Romney officially ended his campaign yesterday and endorsed John McCain for the GOP nomination:

Sen. John McCain earned the endorsement of one-time rival Mitt Romney yesterday, further securing his grasp on the Republican nomination, even as the Democratic contest grows more heated and polls show the candidates preparing to split upcoming primaries.

The Republicans said they want to use the ongoing Democratic battle to their advantage.

"Let us come together and make progress while they're fighting," Mr. Romney said at a press conference in Boston in which he also urged the about 280 delegates he won to instead support Mr. McCain in September's nominating convention. "There's no question in my mind this individual should be the next president of the United States, not Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton."

Mr. Romney's endorsement signals the Republican race is nearing its end, and those delegates allowed by state and party rules to change their support likely will, said Clark Stith, one of the eight pledged delegates Mr. Romney earned in Wyoming's caucuses earlier this year.

While Romney "suspended" his campaign last week, (keeping control over his delegates), his endorsement of McCain essentially brings an end to the contest, as those delegates would put McCain just under the magic number of 1191...and make it mathematically impossible for Huckabee to win.  Time to fold the tent.

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Wizbang Politics points out the importance of delegate allocation rules...

Right Wing News has a VP poll...

More: WaPo - The Fix - Michelle Malkin - Wizbang