BBC NEWS | Americas | Romney will support McCain bidLast Updated: Thursday, 14 February 2008, 19:33 GMT

Reports says he will ask the 280 delegates, whose support he won at primary elections during his campaign, to support Mr McCain.”

Romney has decided to endorse McCain and it could happen as early as this afternoon,” said Kevin Madden, a spokesman for Mr Romney.Mr Madden told Reuters the endorsement would take place at around 1600 local time 2100 GMT at Mr Romneys campaign headquarters in Boston.

Mr Romney withdrew his candidacy last week saying that if he continued to fight he would “forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win”.

On Friday, Mr McCain appealed for the support of “dedicated conservatives” in the Republican party, saying he had a responsibility to “unite the party” in preparation for Novembers elections.

One week ago Mitt Romney stood aside in the Republican presidential race. He did it for the sake of party unity that will be needed to effectively defeat the Obama and Clinton campaigns and keep the Democratic Party’s agenda for surrender and economic slowdown out of the White House. I would think this will seal the deal on unity. And as I previously suggested, Mitt Romney might make a good VP choice.

When I sign into my caucus today, I will be indicating that my presidential preference is Mitt Romney. Mitt briefly described his conservative position in a recent email.

I outlined what I know is the right course ahead for our nation – a course based on conservative principles such as individual responsibility, strong faith and values, economic strength with lower taxes and a national defense that will not retreat from the threat of evil extremism.

I have no delusions that he will miraculously rise from his campaign ashes, but I do believe we need a more broad spectrum conservative president, whether it be in 2008, or 2012, or whenever. That is the message I will be sending as delegates pile up for more conservative candidates such as Romney and Huckabee. I also have no illusions that the Republican candidate will be anyone other than John McCain, but for the future of this nation, the conservative message needs to be sent.

I love analogies and so I’ve looked at the presidential campaign this year the same way I look at purchasing tools. I see the Democratic Party tool as the slick packaged piece of junk only brought in for the Fathers Day sale; Sitting shiny and unused in a drawer, it looks for all the world like a wrench, but will fail and bust you’re knuckles the first time it is needed.

The Republican Party this year has been more like the tool department at Sears, with plenty of real tools lining the shelves. We have had a great opportunity to choose good, better and best; or Companion, Craftsman, or Craftsmen Professional. The are just different levels of price and quality, but all real tools that will do the job for the average American. While I may covet the Craftsman Pro, I’ll put Craftsmen on my Christmas list, and won’t be disappointed to receive Companion.

So even though I see Mitt Romney as Craftsman; I won’t be disappointed with Companion tool John McCain. I have no doubt that we will get a lot of good work done together with him as President.

Today I’m letting the world know I prefer Craftsman; tomorrow I’ll be working hard to fill the roll-around with Companion, so that wacky relatives with good intentions, don’t try to fill it with slick packaged piece of shiny junk.