Santorum ends White House bid

The field of Republican Presidential contenders just got smaller.

Speaking from his home state, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum says he is suspending his campaign.

SOUNDBITE (Engilsh) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RICK SANTORUM SAYING:

"We made a decision to get into this race at our kitchen table against all the odds and we made a decision over the weekend that while this presidential race for us is over for me and we will suspend our campaign effective today, we are not done fighting."

(WHITE FLASH EDIT)

SOUNDBITE (Engilsh) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RICK SANTORUM SAYING:

"I walked out after the Iowa caucus victory and said game on. I know a lot of folks are going to write, maybe even those at the White House, game over. But this game is a long long way from being over. We are going to continue to go out there to make sure that we defeat President Barack Obama, that we win the House back and that we take the United States Senate and that we stand for the values that make us Americans."

The announcement follows widespread speculation that Santorum would call it quits after his 3-year old daughter was hospitalized over the weekend and polls showed him trailing Republican rival Mitt Romney in the crucial Pennsylvania primary two weeks away.

Katharine Jackson, Reuters.