Former Senator Rick Santorum officially suspended his presidential campaign on April 10. Speaking at an afternoon press conference, Santorum emphasized the role of family matters in his decision.

“We were very concerned about our role as being the best parents we possibly could to our children,” Santorum told reporters.

Last Friday, Santorum left the campaign trail to spend time with his three year-old daughter Isabella. Isabella suffers from Trisomy 18, a life-threatening genetic disorder.

Currently, Santorum is running second in the GOP primary with 285 delegates.  Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney leads the field with 661 delegates. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is third with 136 delegates, while Texas Representative Ron Paul is fourth with 51 delegates. A candidate needs 1144 delegates to secure the Republican nomination.

Notre Dame students were eager to share their thoughts on the breaking news.

“I always thought Rick Santorum was the weaker candidate – he is too extreme,” sophomore Rachael Glenister commented. “Romney will be better in the general election.”

“While Santorum was competitive in the primary, he would not have fared well in the general election, especially since an incumbent is running,” she said.

Glenister’s position is consistent with the national average for her age group. A March 20 Gallup poll showed Romney leading Santorum 34 to 21 percent among voters between 18 and 34 years old.

There is speculation, however, that Santorum will remain prominent on the national scene.

Some Notre Dame students are unreceptive to a Santorum vice presidential nomination.

“It [dropping out] took way too long. I hope he is not the vice presidential candidate,” senior Maisie O’Malley remarked.

Junior Victoria Anglin agreed, saying that there were more preferable options for the position.

“I would not like to see [Santorum] as the vice presidential nominee,” Anglin stated. “An ideal choice for Republicans would be someone such as New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez or Florida Senator Marco Rubio. Either of those candidates could potentially appeal to the growing Hispanic voting bloc.”

A Notre Dame graduate may be another possibility.

“Condoleezza Rice is also impressive, though she is obviously an unlikely candidate,” Anglin commented.

Like many, freshman Quinn O’Heeney was amused by Gingrich’s call for Romney to leave the race. “I like Gingrich’s comment telling Romney to drop out. He is obviously crazy,” O’Heeney said.

Jokes aside, many students are pleased that Romney is the candidate – and that the suspense is over.

“I feel that Santorum dropping out will positively impact party unity, which I believe will be important for the upcoming election between Romney and President Obama,” freshman Graham Englert commented.

“The economy is currently a significant issue and this benefits Romney more that it would have Santorum. Romney’s private sector experience may be appealing to some voters,” Englert said.

The general election will likely feature an Obama-Romney matchup. For some, the scenario was inevitable.

“It was just a matter of time,” said senior Erin Gibson.

Scott Englert’s real first name may or may not be Stephen. Contact him at senglert@nd.edu to find out.