Rudy Giuliani, who bet his presidential hopes on Florida only to come in third, prepared to quit the race Tuesday and endorse his friendliest rival, John McCain.
The former New York mayor stopped short of announcing he was stepping down, but delivered a valedictory speech that was more farewell than fight-on.
Giuliani finished a distant third to winner McCain and second-place finisher Mitt Romney. Republican officials said Giuliani would endorse McCain on Wednesday in California. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in advance of the public announcement.
“The responsibility of leadership doesn’t end with a single campaign, it goes on and you continue to fight for it,” Giuliani said, as supporters with tight smiles crowded behind him. “We ran a campaign that was uplifting.”
Asked directly if he was dropping out of the race, Giuliani said only: “I’m going to California.”