Report: Rick Santorum to quit presidential race - CBS News

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum will be dropping out of the Republican presidential race to the White House, according to a CNN report.

Santorum will appear on Fox News Wednesday at 7 p.m. EST, and according to network anchor Greta Van Susteren, the Republican has a couple of things to say:

. @RickSantorum will be ON THE RECORD at 7pm - with TWO announcements.....

— Greta Van Susteren (@greta) February 3, 2016​

The news comes after Santorum finished in last place at Monday's Iowa caucus, earning just one percent of support. He trailed behind a four-way tie of sixth-place finishers: Rivals Carly Fiorina, John Kasich, Mike Huckabee, and Chris Christie all came in at just two percent. Santorum was not awarded any delegates from the state.

During his last presidential run in 2012, Santorum pulled off a first-place victory in Iowa, going on to compete in the race through April of that year and finishing second to GOP nominee Mitt Romney.

Santorum, a former Pennsylvania lawmaker who has not served in public office since 2007, faced an uphill battle this presidential election cycle.

His flagging poll numbers, especially in early-voting states, meant that Santorum only ever participated on the second-tier stage during Republican primary debates.


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After competing in the last GOP undercard debate in January, just days before the Iowa caucuses, Santorum joined Donald Trump at the veterans fundraising event he hosted instead of participating in Fox News' prime time debate.

Trump will also be appearing on "On the Record" Wednesday evening.

Santorum, a staunch social conservative who has run as a populist, has agreed with several of Trump's controversial policy proposals.

Last year, Santorum applauded his rival's tough stance on immigration, telling CBS' "Face the Nation" that while he didn't appreciate Trump's derogatory remarks about Mexican immigrants rapists, "I like the fact that he is focused on a very important issue for American workers."

And like Trump, Santorum also proposed ending birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants.

Santorum joins other two other Republicans who declared a suspension of their campaigns after the Iowa caucuses -- former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who dropped out late Monday night, and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who announced his decision Wednesday morning.