With Rick Santorum suspending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, what little chance there was for an alternative to Barack Obama versus Mitt Romney in November has evaporated -- setting the stage for a contest that will be far different from the 2008 election.

With Rick Santorum bowing out of the presidential race, Newt Gingrich is attempting to rally Republicans behind his bid, calling himself the last conservative standing.

Gingrich praised Santorum after the former U.S. senator announced on Tuesday that he was exiting the race.

Rick has waged a remarkable campaign, Gingrich said. His success is a testament to his tenacity and the power of conservative principles.

The Texas underdog looking to derail Mitt Romneys bid for the Republican presidential nomination turned to his home state on Tuesday attempting to find new life for his campaign.

With 155 delegates to the Republican convention in Tampa, Texas ranks as the second largest prize on the electoral map -- luring Ron Paul, who has represented parts of the Lone Star State in Congress for decades, back home this week, even though it doesn't hold its primary until May 29.

The race for the Republican presidential nomination takes a lull until April 24 when five states in the Northeast -- Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island -- hold their primaries. Polls of two of those key states, unveiled on Thursday, show that Mitt Romney is ahead despite Rick Santorums roots in the area.

With 94 delegates to the Republican convention in Tampa, New York is the biggest prize on the table when the five states have their say in the Republican race -- and Empire State Republicans appear to be solidly behind Romney.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Florida elected Ricky Polston, who had been with the court since being appointed to it by then-Gov. Charlie Crist backin 2008, by a unanimous vote to serve as chief justice.

Generally considered one of the more conservative members of the court, Polston replaces current Chief Justice Charles Canaday, a former Republican congressman whose two-year term comes to an end.

Florida's U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is the favorite to be Mitt Romneys running mate, according to Paddy Power, the largest bookmaker in Europe, which released odds on the veepstakes on Wednesday morning.

After Romneys sweep of three primary contests in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin on Tuesday, Paddy Power is ready to concede the nomination to the former governor of Massachusetts and look to the general election against President Barack Obama.

With his strong showings in the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary in early January, for a moment, it appeared that Ron Paul would be a major player in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

The District of Columbia, Maryland and Wisconsin hold primaries on Tuesday and Mitt Romney appears headed for wins in all three contests.

With 42 delegates to the Republican convention in Tampa come August, Wisconsin ranks as the largest prize on the table. According to three polls unveiled on Monday, Romney has a solid lead over the field in the Badger State and Maryland.

Maryland -- along with the District of Columbia and Wisconsin -- holds its Republican presidential primary on Tuesday and all signs indicate that Mitt Romney will take most of the 37 delegates that the Old State Line will be sending to the Republican convention in Tampa come August.

While the California Republican presidential primary is not until June 5, the Golden State is the largest electoral prize on the map and is bringing a whopping 172 delegates to the Republican convention in Tampa come August -- and this week the Republican presidential hopefuls started to focus on California.

While the Golden State looks strong for Mitt Romney, it also looks solidly behind Barack Obama come November.