Romney to endorse McCain for GOP nomination

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(CNN) -- Former Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney plans to announce Thursday that he is backing Sen. John McCain in his bid for the Oval Office, two sources familiar with the decision said.


Mitt Romney will endorse Sen. John McCain of Arizona on Thursday, CNN has learned.

A source familiar with the decision said Romney wants to endorse McCain "in the interest of healing."

The source said Romney also wants to help McCain move faster to "secure the nomination and unite the party for the general election against the Democrats for November."

Romney will "release" his delegates to McCain, meaning he will encourage them to get behind McCain's candidacy. the source said.

The former Massachusetts governor earlier this month suspended his campaign, saying it was in his party's best interest.

Continuing his campaign for the White House would "forestall the launch of a national campaign and be making it easier for Senator [Hillary] Clinton or [Barack] Obama to win."

Romney had collected 286 delegates before he suspended his campaign two weeks ago.

Those delegates would give McCain 1,013 total delegates, 78 short of securing the nomination.

McCain's rival for the nomination, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, presently has 217 delegates, according to CNN estimates.

Romney is expected to announce his endorsement of the senator from Arizona at a news conference from Romney's Boston, Massachusetts, headquarters at 3:30 ET.

A top Romney aide has already called McCain's campaign manager, and McCain, who is campaigning in New England, will join Romney for the announcement.

[link to www.cnn.com]