Romney Campaign Press Release - Congressman/Senator Rick Santorum vs. Mitt Romney: A Study in Contrasts

"Republican primary voters have a clear choice. Mitt Romney spent his career helping turn around companies, the Olympics, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. At the same time, Congressman/Senator Rick Santorum spent his career in Washington, voting repeatedly to increase the debt ceiling and his own pay. If business as usual in Washington is the problem, Rick Santorum can't be part of the solution." —Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

1991 — Congressman/Senator Santorum First Arrived In Congress, While Mitt Romney Led The Turnaround Of Bain & Company:

In 1991, Senator Santorum Spent His First Of Sixteen Years In Congress. "In 1990, Mr. Santorum, then 32, was first elected to the House of Representatives, and four years later rode an anti-incumbent wave into the Senate. He won re-election in 2000, but after a bitter and expensive campaign lost his bid for a third term in 2006 against his Democratic challenger, Bob Casey, the Pennsylvania state treasurer." (The New York Times' "Election 2012" Website, www.nytimes.com, Accessed 2/19/12)

In 1991, Mitt Romney Returned To Bain & Company And "Rescued It From Collapse." "Leading Bain Capital in the 1980s, Romney shined in his role as investor. In January 1991 he returned to Bain & Co. and within two years had rescued it from collapse." (Editorial, "Romney Has What S.C. Republicans Are Looking For," Charlotte Observer, 1/15/12)

2002 — Congressman/Senator Santorum Voted To Increase The Debt Ceiling, While Mitt Romney Helped Lead The Winter Olympic Games To Success:

In 2002, Senator Santorum Voted In Favor Of Increasing The Debt Ceiling. (S. 2578, Vote #148: Passed 68-29, 6/11/02; Santorum Voted Yea)

Senator Santorum's 2002 Vote Was One Of Five Times That He Voted To Increase The Debt Ceiling. "Santorum acknowledged voting to raise the federal debt ceiling at least five times while in Congress." (Charles Babington, "Gingrich Defends His Attacks," The Associated Press, 1/15/12)

In 2002, The Winter Olympics In Salt Lake City Were A Spectacular Success After Mitt Romney Helped Rescue The Games From Scandal And A $400 Million Deficit. "From Bain & Co. to the 2002 Olympics, Romney has demonstrated an ability to turn things around in a crisis. ... Similarly, the Olympics in Salt Lake City were nearly $400 million behind where they needed to be when Romney came in. He took charge and led the Olympics to success, and to a profit." (Editorial, "Romney Has What S.C. Republicans Are Looking For," Charlotte Observer, 1/15/12)

2003 — Congressman/Senator Santorum Voted Himself Another Pay Raise, While Mitt Romney Started The Effort To Close Massachusetts' Billion-Dollar Deficit By Cutting Spending:

In 2003, Senator Santorum Cast One Of At Least Three Votes To Increase His Own Pay. "Santorum also supported raising Congressional pay at least three times, in 2001, 2002, and 2003." ("2012 Presidential White Paper #4: Former Senator Rick Santorum," Club For Growth, 6/6/11)

In 2003, Governor Romney Began Closing Massachusetts' $3 Billion Budget Deficit By Cutting Spending And Getting The State's Fiscal House In Order. "Governor Romney receives credit for actual spending in FY 2003, even though he entered office halfway into the fiscal year, because of the tremendous spending cuts he forced down the Legislature's throat in January of 2003. Facing a $650 million deficit he inherited from the previous administration, Romney convinced the unfriendly State Legislature to grant him unilateral power to make budget cuts and unveiled $343 million in cuts to cities, healthcare, and state agencies. This fiscal discipline continued in 2004, in which Romney continued to slash 'nearly every part of state government' to close a $3 billion deficit." (Club For Growth, Press Release, 8/21/07)

Romney Beat Back "Big-Tax Proposals" And Chose Instead "To Erase Deficits By Hacking Away At Spending." "What attracted many of these economists to the Romney team was the former governor's success, in a liberal state, of beating back big-tax proposals and instead choosing to erase deficits by hacking away at spending." (Kimberley A. Strassel, Op-Ed, "Tax Talk," The Wall Street Journal, 3/30/07)