Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is backing Rick Santorum's presidential bid, reported ONN's Jim Heath.
The announcement is expected at a Friday afternoon news conference at the Ohio Statehouse.
DeWine and Santorum served together in the Senate. In 2006, Santorum lost for reelection in Penn. by 18 points, DeWine lost in Ohio by 15.
Last July, DeWine endorsed Tim Pawlenty for the GOP presidential nomination, reported Heath.
In October, after Pawlenty dropped out, DeWine endorsed Romney saying at the time, "I think he has both the ability to unite the party and have general election appeal."
DeWine will be the first of Santorum's former senate colleagues to endorse him. Fourteen U.S. senators have endorsed Romney.
He served as the chairman of Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign in Ohio and won a close election for state attorney general in 2010.
Santorum appears to be boosting attendance for a couple of annual county Republican dinners in southern Ohio.
With the state's primary March 6, Santorum began a four-city swing Friday evening in Mason in southwest Oho and Georgetown in southern Appalachian Ohio.
Brown County GOP chairman Paul Hall said that this Lincoln Day dinner will likely set county party sales records. Nearly 800 tickets at $35 each have been sold so far.
Organizers moved the event from an Eagles hall to the Georgetown Elementary School as sales zoomed after Santorum confirmed.
In Warren County, where tickets start at $60, sales have jumped from 300 past 500 since the party announced Sunday Santorum's commitment for a reception at the Manor House in Mason.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is the dinner speaker.
On Saturday, Santorum will address the Hilliard TEA Party Rally in one event in Columbus then head to a Ohio Christian Alliance 2012 Freedom Luncheon. He will then finish his stops in Ohio in Cleveland Saturday night.
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