Santorum Calls it Quits

GOP hopeful, Rick Santorum has dropped from the race for the nomination saying “”We made a decision over the weekend, that while this presidential race for us is over, for me, and we will suspend our campaign today, we are not done fighting.”

Due to low poll numbers, small donations, and heavy competition from the political machine, Mitt Romney, Santorum has dropped from the race.

According to the New York Times, Santorum managed to raise only $15,699,090 in the time that it took Romney to raise $75,609,012. Unfortunately, these numbers are from February 21, the most recent time that the candidates were required, by federal law, to release their campaign finance information.

While it is likely that Santorum was able to raise more money in March, his donations likely tapered off in April thanks to poor performance in the primaries.

Santorum has not done so well at the polls in recent days either. A Gallup poll from 4/11 reveals that only 24% of republican respondents saw him as their top candidate, verses 42% for Mitt Romney. The other two candidates Gingrich and Paul are battling it out between each other; both poll at about 10%.

The event marks the beginning of the general election as Mitt Romney will now be able to focus the bulk of his money and rhetoric at President Obama.

Only a week ago the Gingrich campaign announced that it would be cutting operations and fired large portions of its staff due to financial troubles. The Paul campaign has struggled to connect with the GOP base thanks to a swath of libertarian ideals, particularly his foreign policy views.

With almost no obstacles in his way it seems that Romney will clench the GOP nomination with little to no effort; general election season has now begun and Romney and Obama will begin a long fight on the road to November.