The Arkansas Republican Party says presidential candidate Rick Santorum will remain on the party’s primary ballot in May even though he has quit the campaign.
State GOP Chairman Doyle Webb said in a statement released by the party Tuesday that the former Pennsylvania senator will remain on the May 22 ballot, and that he could still receive delegates according to the party rules depending on the votes he receives.
Santorum suspended his presidential campaign earlier Tuesday afternoon. He is one of four presidential hopefuls who qualified to run in Arkansas’ Republican primary. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Congressman Ron Paul will also appear on the GOP primary ballot in Arkansas.
Webb praised Santorum as a “respected spokesman for the conservative cause.”
Santorum, in his announcement Tuesday, mentioned the Duggar family of Tontitown. The Duggars, which includes father Jim Bob, mother Michelle and 19 children, have supported Santorum throughout the campaign.
The 19 Kids and Counting TLC stars "believed in the basic importance of having strong families as part of a strong country," Santorum said.
Another Arkansan, former Gov. Mike Huckabee, also got a mention by Santorum:
"Even fun things like the sweater vest. Amazing thing, that sweater vest. It happened on a night I was doing an event for Mike Huckabee in Des Moines and showed up and everyone was in suits and ties and I showed up in a sweater vest, and it turned out I gave a pretty good speech that night and all of a sudden the Twitter-verse went wild and said it must be the sweater vest."
