Feb. 15 (Bloomberg) -- A political group supporting Mitt Romney’s presidential candidacy began airing television advertisements today in Michigan charging that Rick Santorum is a “big spender” and “Washington insider” who backed allowing convicted felons to vote.
The former Massachusetts governor is facing an unexpectedly stiff challenge from Santorum in Michigan, Romney’s native state, and the Feb. 28 primary is considered a must-win by the Romney campaign.
Two polls released Feb. 13 show Santorum with an edge over Romney in Michigan. Restore Our Future, a group financed by Romney’s backers, plans to blanket the airwaves there in efforts to tarnish Santorum.
The commercial notes that as a senator from Pennsylvania, Santorum voted for an increase in the debt limit and for “billions in wasteful projects,” including an Alaska road project that became known as the “Bridge to Nowhere” and has come to symbolize the earmarking culture in Washington that enables lawmakers to steer large sums to pet programs in their home states and districts.
In addition, the advertisement says, Santorum “joined Hillary Clinton to let convicted felons vote” -- a reference to his support for legislation restoring voting rights to felons after they had served their prison, parole and probation time.
