Santorum endorses Cuccinelli for Virginia governor

Rick Santorum and his political action committee, Patriot Voices, on Friday morning endorsed Virginia's Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli for governor of Virginia.

"I have known Ken for years and consider him not only a strong leader for conservative principles but a dear friend who I have been proud to stand side by side with in the fights crucial to the future of our nation," Santorum, a former 2012 presidential candidate and Pennsylvania senator, said in a statement. "As Virginia's attorney general, Ken has been a steadfast fighter to overturn ObamaCare and return health care decisions back to patients and doctors."

The open-seat 2013 race is expected to pit Cuccinelli against former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe. Several prominent politicians have already dropped out of contention, including Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner and Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling.