Gingrich, Paul Reject Calls to Rally Around Romney

Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul show no intention of ending their presidential bids even though it is now generally assumed that Mitt Romney will be the nominee. The former House speaker and the Texas representative are staying in to influence the debate in the fall, The New York Times blog The Caucus reported.

When Romney’s main challenger Rick Santorum withdrew, Gingrich quickly announced he was staying in all the way to the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., “so that the conservative movement has a real choice.”

Nonetheless, Gingrich has said Romney would “make such a better president than Barack Obama that I will campaign for him if he is the nominee, and I’ll campaign for him enthusiastically,” the Times reported.

Paul continues to campaign and sends supporters to local and state political conventions to try to collect delegates. Campaign Manager John Tate told the Times the goal was to secure “a prominent role” at the convention.