With the exit of Santorum stage right, the nomination for the GOP candidate for the presidency is a fore-gone conclusion and the primaries are basically over.

Santorum garnered an impressive 11 state win against the former Governor of Massachussetts, but recent upsets at the polls signalled an end to Santorum’s campaign. Rather than tarnish his rising star, Santorum stepped to the side, no doubt with eyes on future elections.

Now, the focus will be on the General election and a battle between President Obama and Mitt Romney. According to Santorum’s press secretary, Santorum vows to help Romney in his bid against Obama. According to the Santorum campaign, assurances were made to Romney, in a call alerting Romney of the end of the campaign. Santorum Press secretary Alice Stewart told CNN in an interview “that they’ll have conversations in the next few days and weeks to come and he has vowed to do what ever it is that Gov. Romney needs to help him defeat Barack Obama in November.”

In response to the tough primary fight between the two former rivals, Stewart continued by saying, “That’s in the heat of the primary and the job of all the candidates is to show the contrast where Rick differs from Gov. Romney and that’s exactly what he was doing, but as we stand now the most important thing now is to put up the strongest Republican to beat the president.”

Neither party really has a clear lead in the swing states, but, Obama does seem to have an advantage as the general election effectively gets under way. USA Today Gallup Poll taken in early Appril shows Obama ahead 51 to 42 in 12 swing states.

The Obama campaign already began its attacks on Romney even before Santorum conceded. Ads targeting Romney from the Obama campp began airing last week. It hasn’t been one-sided either, Romney has, recently ignored his rivals to take jabs at the President and his record on taxes and women’s interests.