The pro-Obama super-PAC Priorities USA is out with a Florida ad tying Mitt Romney to Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), one of the state's least popular politicians.
The ad attacks Scott for his company's payout of a huge Medicare fraud fine, then accuses Romney of defrauding Medicare as well.
"Mitt Romney and Rick Scott — connect the dots. Scott ran a company that paid a record fine for committing Medicare fraud. Then, as governor, Scott cut millions from healthcare," the ad's narrator says as pictures of Romney and Scott flash by. "Romney was director of a company that stole millions from Medicare. Now, Romney’s plan would end Medicare as we know it. We’ve seen this picture before. Just connect the dots. If Mitt Romney wins, the middle class loses."
Scott eked out a victory in 2010 despite attacks on his business dealings on Medicare both during the primary and general election, and is one of America's least popular governors — a
late September poll had his approval rating at 38 percent, marking an improvement from earlier polling.
Romney's campaign pushed back on the ad.
"The Obama campaign is
flailing in Florida and no desperate attack ad by the President's
liberal allies will change the fact that President Obama has no record
to run on and no rationale for re-election," said Romney spokeswoman
Amanda Henneberg. "With 23 million Americans struggling for work, this
election continues to be about a choice between the status quo and real
change – change that offers promise that the future will be better than
the past."
Romney is stumping in Florida on Wednesday with a number of the state's top Republicans, but Scott is notably not on the list of surrogates in attendance. Polls show a tight race in the state, which is likely a must-win for Romney on election night.
—This post was updated at 1:05 p.m.
