While Hoekstra said he will be comfortable with McCain, and will campaign on his behalf if asked, he admits he felt a lot of disappointment when the Romney campaign folded up its tents.
He met with Romney Thursday afternoon in Washington D.C., shortly after the announcement was made. He said he wasn't surprised that Romney dropped out, even though he clearly had the financial resources to fight on.
Romney simply decided to put his country and his party first, Hoekstra said.
"He believed he still had a shot, but the odds were really long," Hoekstra said. "He knew he might be forced to do things he would have regretted, like sharply comparing and contrasting himself with Sen. McCain. He decided that would be wrong for the country and wrong for the party, so he decided not to do it.
"I agree that we should focus on uniting the party behind one candidate and focus on the ideals that we agree are most important. There are more important things than Mitt Romney campaigning for another three months."
Hoekstra endorsed Romney about a year ago and became his unofficial national security advisor. He also invested time and effort in the campaign, barnstorming on behalf of Romney in Michigan, Iowa and Florida.
And Hoekstra said his support became more than just a political endorsement over time.
"I really like Mitt Romney -- I not only like his positions, but as my wife and I got to know Mitt and Ann, we really enjoyed them and liked them as people," Hoekstra said.
While Hoekstra readies himself to support McCain, he hopes he won't have to do the same for one of the other remaining Republican candidates, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Hoekstra recently told the Chronicle that he considers Huckabee a negative and divisive force in the Republican Party. While some pundits are speculating that McCain will take Huckabee as his vice presidential running mate, Hoekstra hopes that doesn't happen.
"I'm not a big fan of Gov. Huckabee," Hoekstra said. "As Sen. McCain starts looking to put together a package, he's got to look for a running mate that can help us win in Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania. I don't think that's Gov. Huckabee."
Hoekstra/Romney
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