On the Republican side, former hopeful Mitt Romney threw his weight behind frontrunner John McCain on Thursday, giving the Arizona senator a new boost as he seeks to lock up the nomination.

Mitt Romney: “Even when the contests were close and our disagreements were debated, the caliber of the man was apparent. This is a man capable of leading our country at a difficult hour. Senator McCain understands the war we are in, the necessity of victory and the consequence of surrender.”

Romney and McCain were bitter rivals until Romney dropped out the race last week. McCain welcomed his new endorser.

Sen. John McCain: “There are specific issues that Governor Romney and I may disagree on. We share a common philosophy, a common goal, a common set of principles that have guided our Republican Party: less government, lower taxes, less regulation, strong national security. We had differences on specific issues, but there is never any ever doubt about the common philosophy, principles and dedication to the party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan that we share.”