WASHINGTON, Feb 7: Republican candidate Mitt Romney dropped out of the US presidential race on Thursday making Senator John McCain the all-but-certain nominee of his party to face the Democrats’ choice in November’s election.

“I feel I have to now stand aside, for our party and for our country,” the former Massachusetts governor said in a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference.

“No, no,” shouted some of the participants at the conference, many of whom are disenchanted at the idea of having McCain as the party’s choice.

The writing was on the wall for Romney after he lost 14 of 21 states on Tuesday, the biggest day of US presidential voting ahead of November’s election, while Arizona Sen. McCain romped to coast-to-coast wins and cemented his position as front-runner.

Romney’s withdrawal all but sealed the Republican nomination for McCain, the 71-year-old former Vietnam prisoner of war who has been lambasted by the right for moderate views on illegal immigration and votes against tax cuts.

Romney said he was pulling out of the race in order to let Republicans prepare for a general election battle against either of the two Democrats, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton or Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, both whom have campaigned to withdraw US troops from Iraq.

Romney, 61, had vowed to fight on after Super Tuesday, but he and his campaign advisers discussed the situation on Wednesday. Romney has been helping to bankroll his campaign using his own personal wealth made from his years as a venture capitalist. “This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose,” an emotional-looking Romney said.

Many Republicans are eager for an end to the nominating contest between McCain, Romney and former Arkansas Gov.—Reuters