Romney gets big endorsement before big speech

By the CNN Wire Staff

Romney: 'I represent a different path'

See highlights of the speech here:

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(CNN) -- Mitt Romney got another expected but key endorsement Wednesday before heading to North Carolina to speak in the city where Democrats will nominate President Barack Obama for a second term later this year.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, at one time considered a possible strong contender for the Republican presidential nomination, said on Fox News that he was backing the former Massachusetts governor.

"He's already won our nomination. He earned it," Daniels said. "He's proven himself the best nominee we can put forward, and I'm just happy to sign on and help."

In his own statement Wednesday, Romney said Daniels shares his background in business and has "used the principles of the private sector in government."

"Indiana has been served well by his leadership based on fiscal discipline, smaller government, and a friendly environment for job creators," Romney said. "I am honored to have his support."

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The Daniels endorsement followed similar public support for Romney Tuesday from the top two Republicans in Congress as well as Republican governors from Pennsylvania and Wyoming, showing the party's intention to rally around their certain nominee and shift the focus of the campaign from the GOP primary race to November's election.

Romney still needs several hundred delegates to clinch the Republican nomination, but his path cleared last week when conservative challenger Rick Santorum dropped out.

Later Wednesday, Romney will give a "prebuttal" speech in Charlotte to Obama's planned address in the city in September at the Democratic convention, the Romney campaign said.

Meanwhile, Obama returns to the fund-raising circuit Wednesday to raise campaign cash in Michigan, where Romney was born.

One of two planned events will be at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, the Obama campaign said. The Ford Museum was where Romney announced his first bid for president in 2008.

Before the fund-raising stops, Obama will talk about the economy at a community college in Ohio, a battleground election state.

Wednesday's fund-raisers come on the heels of the Obama campaign's announcement that it raised $53 million last month, $8 million more than it took in in February.

A new poll Tuesday showed voters are willing to give Romney a fresh look now that he is the certain Republican nominee.

The CNN/ORC International poll showed that Romney's popularity is starting to rebound now that the divisiveness of the Republican primaries appears to be all but over.

According to the survey, 44% of people questioned said they have a favorable view of Romney, up 10 points from February, while 43% said they have an unfavorable opinion, down 11 points, and 13% were unsure.

The survey said 53% of Americans plan to give Romney a second look when the primaries are officially over, with 45% saying they already know enough about Romney to decide whether he would be a good president.

It also indicated that Romney's popularity still lags well behind Obama's: 56% have a favorable view of the president, with 42% saying they see Obama in a negative light.

"The Republican Party's favorable rating has also rebounded now that the nomination fight is all but over, from 35% in March to 41%," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "That still puts the GOP several points behind the Democratic party's 46% rating, but it is an indication that the wounds have started to heal from the primary season."

Both House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Tuesday they back Romney's nomination. The statements a few hours apart were intended to show growing Republican support for Romney despite mistrust among some conservatives over his moderate policies when he was Massachusetts governor.

"I will be proud to support Mitt Romney and do everything I can to help him win," Boehner told reporters after he met with House Republicans to discuss the November election.

McConnell later told reporters he also is backing Romney, which was no surprise but represented a formal endorsement after the Kentucky senator previously said Romney would be the party's nominee and "an excellent candidate."