US presidential candidate Rick Santorum endorsed rival Mitt Romney, whom he once called "the worst Republican in the country," in a late-night email sent to his supporters, DPA reported.
Santorum emphasized the need to defeat the Democratic incumbent Barack Obama in the November election as the reason for his backing in the email sent late Monday and published in US media reports.
The former Pennsylvania senator who suspended his presidential bid in April after Romney built an unbeatable lead in primary and caucus contests for the Republican nomination. He had attacked Romney during a bitter campaign, particularly over the similarities to health-care reforms passed while Romney was Massachusetts governor and national reforms passed under Obama.
The two former opponents met Friday in what Santorum said was his efforts to make sure Romney would address issues important to the conservative wing of the centre-right party.
"The primary campaign certainly made it clear that governor Romney and I have some differences, but there are many significant areas in which we agree," Santorum wrote.
"Above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated," he said.
Romney will be the Republican presidential nominee "and he has my endorsement and support to win this the most critical election of our lifetime," Santorum said.
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