Romney rival to speak at party event

Published on 08/08/2012 00:00

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s most bitter rival for his party’s nomination has agreed to speak at the nominating convention in Tampa, Florida, later this month.

Rick Santorum, who lobbed harsh criticism at Mr Romney during some bitter primary contests, will join a host of other big-name Republicans as speakers, according to party sources.

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush will also speak at the convention, along with Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin and Tea Party hero and senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. Mr Paul spent much of the year campaigning against Mr Romney on behalf of his father, Texas congressman Ron Paul.

After winning the Iowa caucuses, Mr Santorum emerged as an unlikely but persistent burr in Mr Romney’s side, warning that the Republican Party would make a mistake by picking the former Massachusetts governor.

Because of that, some senior Romney advisers argued against giving Mr Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania, a speaking slot at the convention, fearing he might go off-message and reprise some of his criticisms from the primaries.

Mr Santorum announced he was suspending his campaign on 10 April, clearing the way for Mr Romney to begin campaigning in earnest against the Democratic incumbent, Barack Obama.