The Hill News

Mitt Romney's political director provided some of the campaign's sharpest encouragement for rival Rick Santorum to exit the race Thursday, saying the former Pennsylvania senator's continued presence in the campaign was helping President Obama's reelection effort.

"Each day Senator Santorum continues to march up this steep hill of improbability is a day we lose to unite in our effort as Republicans to defeat President Obama," Romney staffer Rich Beeson wrote in a memo circulated to reporters. "So as Senator Santorum continues to drag out this already expensive, negative campaign it is clear that he is becoming the most valuable player on President Obama's team."

Romney's campaign has clearly signaled an increased effort to nudge the former Massachusetts governor's opponents from the race following a convincing win in Tuesday's Illinois primary, although the effort was temporarily derailed by the "Etch A Sketch" comments made by senior aide Eric Fehrnstrom Wednesday.

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