Romney ahead as Huntsman quits

PRESIDENTIAL candidate Mitt Romney stood alone yesterday at the top of the field of Republican candidates in this week’s primary balloting in South Carolina, where three of his more conservative challengers are splitting the powerful block of evangelical and social conservative voters.

Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, by far the most moderate Republican candidate vying for the nomination to face President Barack Obama in November, dropped out of the race yesterday and endorsed Romney.

That leaves just five men in the race heading into South Carolina’s critical Saturday vote, and a Romney victory likely would make his nomination inevitable.