Rick Santorum takes on Mitt Romney with cheeky ‘Rombo’ ad
[fragment number=0]
Rick Santorum is trying to counteract a broadside of negative advertising from rival Mitt Romney with a lighthearted television commercial of his own titled, “Rombo.’’
It features a maniacal but inept body double for Romney running around an empty building firing a rifle – loaded with mud – at a target of Santorum.
Each of the rapid-fire shots misses.
It complains that Romney and a super PAC supporting him have spent $20 million to date mostly attacking fellow Republicans – though the bulk of the ad money has targeted former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, not Santorum.
The ad accuses Romney of trying to hide his own record, and says the attacks will backfire, as the Romney lookalike splatters mud on his own white buttondown shirt and tie.
Despite his complaints, Santorum himself previously attacked Romney with his own negative advertising. In South Carolina, he aired an ad branding Romney as being “just like Obama.’’
Romney spokesman Ryan Williams said today, “Senator Santorum is a typical Washington politician talking out of both sides of his mouth. He has been already been attacking Mitt Romney in his public statements and in television ads for weeks. Mitt Romney is focused on his plans to stand up to big labor bosses, cut government spending, and get Americans back to work.’’
The ad comes as Santorum is surging in the polls and threatening to derail Romney’s frontrunner status in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting Romney, yesterday released a new ad airing in Arizona, Michigan, and Ohio attacking the former Pennsylvania senator’s record on spending.
That ad – a slightly more sober spot than Santorum’s – criticizes Santorum for voting to raise the national debt limit, spend money on “wasteful projects,’’ and for joining with former Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in voting to “let convicted felons vote.’’
Politico reports that the Santorum campaign has bought less than $50,000 worth of air time so far in Michigan, so the new ad – while sensational – may be seen relatively few times other than on the Internet.
Restore our Future said yesterday that it had purchased $640,000 worth of air time in Michigan.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com