Rand Paul ends US presidential run Santorum next
Washington:Senator Rand Paul suspended his US presidential campaign Wednesday after a poor showing in Iowa while Rick Santorum who won the coveted state in 2012 but gained no traction this year is also reportedly dropping out.
The 53-year-old Paul a libertarian who stresses individual rights and privacy finished fifth in the Iowa caucuses on Monday with 4.5 percent of the vote.
"It's been an incredible honor to run a principled campaign for the White House. Today I will end where I began ready and willing to fight for the cause of liberty" Paul said in a statement.
"I will continue to carry the torch for liberty in the United States Senate and I look forward to earning the privilege to represent the people of Kentucky for another term."
Santorum a former US senator from Pennsylvania has languished at the back of the pack for months despite his stunning performance four years ago when he snatched Iowa from Mitt Romney.
While Santorum who had made religious freedom and social conservatism the pillars of his campaign won several more states that year he could not sustain the momentum and ultimately lost the nomination to Romney.
Santorum told the Des Moines Register he will reassess his candidacy after finishing 11th out of 12 candidates in Iowa with one percent of the Republican vote. Two Republican sources told CNN that Santorum is dropping out.
"We are going to spend a couple of days just thinking and praying and figure out what we are going to do and we will make a decision" Santorum told the Register after addressing in Johnston Iowa.
Santorum said he will make two "major announcements" at 7:00pm (0000 GMT).
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee dropped out just hours after the Iowa caucuses.
Their exit leaves the Republican field still crowded with nine White House hopefuls including Carly Fiorina who insisted she is still committed to the race despite finishing seventh in Iowa with 1.9 percent.
"I'm doing this to be the president of the United States and we're going to go all the way to Cleveland" and the Republican nominating convention she said on a phone call with donors.
AFP