Romney picks up spate of endorsements

The Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- Mitt Romney trumpeted a flurry of conservative endorsements along with backing yesterday from a delegate who belonged to campaign dropout Jon Huntsman as he looks to wrap up the GOP presidential nomination.

The former Massachusetts governor highlighted the continuing primary slog as the conservative chorus behind him grew, along with worry that the drawn-out nomination fight would damage their likely nominee against President Barack Obama.

Campaigning in California, Romney made an appeal to primary voters in a contest still two months away, on June 5. "I need you guys to get ready, to organize your effort, to get your friends to vote, to collect some money," Romney told employees at medical device maker NuVasive in Southern California. "We've got a ways to go."

Romney announced support from Utah Sen. Mike Lee, an early tea party supporter who ousted a longtime incumbent Republican. The GOP presidential front-runner also earned backing from California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the third highest-ranking House Republican, and from Al Cardenas, head of the American Conservative Union.

Huntsman delegate Paul Collins, who ran the former Utah governor's campaign in New Hampshire, also signed on with Romney.

All four urged Republicans to unite behind Romney and save the GOP from more months of a nasty, drawn-out primary.

Rick Santorum, meanwhile, appeared outside the Supreme Court on Monday as the justices heard arguments over whether Obama's overhaul of the nation's health care system is constitutional.

Santorum pressed his own argument that he's the best candidate -- and Romney is the worst -- to challenge Obama on the health care issue in the fall.

"There's one candidate who's uniquely disqualified to make the case. That's the reason I'm here and he's not," Santorum told reporters outside the court.

While Romney says he would fight to repeal Obama's health care law, Santorum says Romney essentially is disqualified because he put in place a similar law in Massachusetts when he was governor. "This was a disaster in Massachusetts," he said.

Public polls suggest, however, that the vast majority of Massachusetts residents support the state health care system, which Romney signed into law in 2006.