RNC pushes back on White House 'victory lap' over Chrysler repayment

Republicans responded Wednesday to Democratic efforts to paint them as the party that opposed helping the American auto industry turn around by highlighting that Chrysler has not paid back all of the money it borrowed from the U.S. government in 2008.

After Chrysler announced this week it was repaying $6.7 billion in loans from the U.S. government and Canada, Democrats gleefully pointed out this that most Republicans opposed the bailouts.

The Republican National Committee responded by pointing out that the U.S. won’t likely recover its outstanding $1.9 billion investment in the company.

"Chrysler still owes taxpayers another $2 billion for its rescue package," the RNC said in an email to supporters that circulated headlines to articles that mentioned the unpaid figure titled "outstanding balance.

"Despite [D]emocrats’ campaign message, the auto bailouts cost taxpayers billions that they are likely to never recover," the RNC email said.

Democrats have released a Web ad highlighting past statements made by Republican presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Newt Gingrich showing they opposed bailing out the auto companies in 2008 and 2009.