WASHINGTON (AP):

Republican Mitt Romney suspended his faltering presidential bid yesterday, effectively handing his party's nomination to John McCain and sealing an exceptional comeback for a politician whose campaign was on the verge of collapse less than a year ago. Romney's decision marks a remarkable turnaround for McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner-of-war whose campaign some seven months ago was barely viable, out of cash and losing staff.

The four-term Arizona senator, denied his party's nomination in 2000, was poised to succeed George W. Bush as the Republican standard-bearer. Preacher-turned-politician Mike Huckabee remains in the race, but is far behind in the delegate hunt.

McCain will face Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama, the chief Democratic rivals who are locked in an exceedingly tight battle for their party's nomination.