Huntsman Drops Out: Is Set To Endorse Romney, Whom He Called ‘Unelectable’

By Alex Seitz-Wald/Think Progress

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) informed his advisers today that he is dropping out of the presidential race. After his third place finish in New Hampshire’s primary, Huntsman declared that he had a “ticket to ride” but it appears the be on a bus owned by GOP front-runner Mitt Romney, whom Huntsman is now expected to endorse. “The governor and his family, at this point in the race, decided it was time for Republicans to rally around a candidate who could beat Barack Obama and turn around the economy,” Huntsman adviser Matt David said in a statement. “That candidate is Gov. Mitt Romney.”

While the statement was not an official endorsement, CBS reports “Huntsman is expected to throw his endorsement to current front-runner Mitt Romney.”

Last week, Huntsman told CNBC that Romney was making himself “completely unelectable.”

Huntsman’s decision may have been influenced by the fact that a powerful group of social conservatives called on conservative to coalesce around Rick Santorum as the anti-Romney candidate this weekend.