Romney Releases His Delegates, Backs McCain

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Romney Endorses McCain

"CBS News RAW": Mitt Romney formally endorsed John McCain's presidential bid, saying the Arizona Senator is best-equipped to lead America in the war against global jihad.

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McCain has accumulated 843 delegates, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee has gathered 242 in his ongoing long-shot campaign. One of them must get to 1,191 delegates in order to become the nominee when Republicans gather for their national convention in Minneapolis.

Romney's request is not binding; his delegates are free to vote for whomever they choose at the convention. But in practice, party officials said almost all of the delegates will probably follow Romney's wishes. Some states require their delegates to cast ballots for the candidate who won them on the first ballot.

If all 280 of Romney's delegates support McCain, the senator would have 1,123 delegates, just shy of the total needed. McCain will have to wait until at least March 4, when Texas, Ohio and other states vote, before he can collect the number needed to guarantee the nomination.

Huckabee, campaigning in Wisconsin ahead of Tuesday's vote there, has vowed to compete until McCain acquires 1,191 delegates. He has dismissed speculation that a paid speech he will give to a youth leadership group in the Cayman Islands on Saturday is a sign he is slowing down his campaign, and aides said he had no plans to drop out.

"We're staying in, no question," Bob Wickers, a top Huckabee adviser, said Thursday.

McCain campaign manager Rick Davis put out a memo detailing how it is "mathematically impossible" for Huckabee to win, an assessment the former governor didn't dispute. But campaigning in Providence, R.I., before Romney's endorsement, McCain would not push out his rival.

"I respect Governor Huckabee," McCain said. "I respect his right to continue in his campaign."

Shear reported from Washington.