Election 2008: Romney Resigns

Officially, the Democrats, who polled 15 million votes this week compared with 11 million for Republican candidates, say their continuing contest is not an issue.

"I think it would be a problem if Senator Clinton's voters disliked me or my voters disliked Senator Clinton," Mr Obama said. "But I don't think that's the case."

However, many Democrats fear a drawn-out race will harm the party. Mr Obama is expected to win in the Washington area next week, with Mrs Clinton then making gains in Ohio and Texas in March.

For the Republicans, all now depends on Mr Huckabee, the last conservative left in the race.

MITT Romney dramatically suspended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination yesterday, placing John McCain in prime position.

The surprise move by the former Massachusetts governor puts pressure on Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to wrap up their struggle for the Democratic nomination early.

Mr Romney said he had taken the decision because continuing his battle with Mr McCain would weaken his party, increasing the chances of a Democrat victory which would mean a "surrender to terror".

In what was the most passionate speech of Mr Romney's campaign, he said he was making the sacrifice for the common good. "If I fight on all the way to convention, I forestall the launch of a national campaign and, frankly, I would be making it easier for Senator Clinton or Obama to win," he said. "Frankly, in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."

The Super Tuesday primaries had left him with 270 delegates to Mr McCain's 680. The multi-millionaire had said he needed a minimum of 400 to stay in the race. He keeps his delegates, but he can't order them to vote for someone else at the convention.

Money was not his problem: he had already pumped an estimated £15 million into his campaign from his own funds. Rather, Tuesday left him facing an impossible task – trying to win liberal voters from Mr McCain while appealing to the hardline conservative support of third-placed Mike Huckabee.

Mr Romney told a conservative conference in Washington yesterday: "Conservative principles are needed now more than ever. Soon, the face of liberalism in America will have a new name. Whether it is Barack or Hillary, the result will be the same.

"The opponents of American culture will push the throttle."

Mr Romney, a Mormon, addressed what he saw as Europe's problems as he called on the US to approve a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriages. "Europe is facing a demographic disaster," he said. "That's the inevitable product of weakened faith in the Creator, failed families, disrespect for the sanctity of human life and eroded morality."