Santorum: Romney 'hides from his record'

Rick Santorum on Thursday responded to the stream of attacks Mitt Romney has been sending his way, accusing his rival of hiding from his record as Massachusetts's governor.

After Santorum's trio of victories in Republican presidential contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri, Romney's campaign has focused its attention on the former Pennsylvania senator, attempting to brand him as a Washington insider. One recent email from the Romney campaign read: "Santorum: Washington's being managed just fine."

"Governor Romney's campaign has been about serially tearing down but not offering any kind of vision about what he wants to do for this country," Santorum said in response, according to CNN. "He's not going out and talking about his record as governor of Massachusetts. He hides from that record."

On earmarks in particular, Romney's campaign has been working to contrast the former governor with Santorum. One recent email to supporters had Romney calling for a ban on earmarks while saying "both Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich were prolific earmarkers."

"I understand people don't like earmarks because of the abuse of it, but there are legitimate reasons when the President of the United States isn't doing the things that are right, then the Congress can have oversight — and said you're wrong," Santorum said. "When it was abused, I said stop it, and I'm for stopping it."

Santorum's rivals have questioned his fiscal credentials, pointing to his votes for earmarks in the Senate.

Santorum has said he "once was an earmarker" but said he did not abuse that power and would not support earmarks in the future.

"He's interested in trying to pander and make political sauce, when there's real substantive issues about how we're trying to change this government, and he's on the wrong side," Santorum said of Romney.

---