Two major presidential candidates are ending their campaigns.

Rudolph W. Giuliani, a Republican and former mayor of New York City, was expected to announce his decision today and to throw his support behind John McCain, according to various news reports.

Mr. Giuliani, who placed third in Florida’s primary last night, hadn’t focused much on higher education in his campaign. However, he had a record of playing hardball with colleges, aggressively pressing for changes at the City University of New York during his time as mayor.

Meanwhile, John Edwards, a Democrat and former U.S. senator from North Carolina, also was expected to drop his bid for the presidency this afternoon. He had made expanding college access a central part of his campaign.