Texas Rep. Ron Paul’s presidential campaign released a hard-hitting ad Tuesday accusing his GOP presidential of being “three of a kind.”
The ad, released days ahead of the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary, attacks former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
“One is a serial hypocrite who lobbied for Freddie Mac before the housing crisis, and for the individual mandate before Obamacare,” it says of Gingrich.
“Another, a counterfeit conservative who opposes right-to-work, massively increased spending and funded Planned Parenthood,” it says of Santorum.
“Finally,” it says of Romney, “a flip-flopper who has been on all sides, supported TARP bailouts and provided the blueprint for Obamacare.”
“Three men, one vision: More big government, more mandates and less freedom.”
Paul has been rising in South Carolina polls, increasing several points in week-to-week polls released at the end of last week.
The libertarian favorite is nonetheless significantly behind Romney, the front-runner in the state. Gingrich and Santorum are vying aslo vying for a victory for the state, which is seen as perhaps the last opportunity to stall a Romney sweep. Texas Gov. Rick Perry is also a candidate in the election.
“Republican voters are looking for a true conservative to defeat Obama,” said Paul campaign chairman Jesse Benton. “[T]his ad effectively makes the case that Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Mitt Romney do not measure up. Ron Paul, in stark contrast, is presented as the one and only authentic conservative in the race.”
“Ron Paul is the sole alternative to the fair-weather conservatives who grow government, increase mandates, betray the sanctity of life, destroy the patient-doctor relationship, and erode individual workers’ rights,” Benton added.