Romney Campaign Press Release - If You Liked Newt Gingrich, Wait 'Til You Get to Know Rick Santorum

"Republican primary voters may be surprised to learn that Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have a lot in common. Among other similarities, they are both career politicians who were removed from office by those who knew them best and chose to stay in D.C. afterward. Mitt Romney offers something different. He is not a creature of Washington. He offers the kind of private sector and chief executive experience that career politicians can't match." —Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

Speaker Gingrich And Congressman/Senator Santorum Are Career Politicians:

Gingrich Embraces His "Long History As A Washington Insider." "Gingrich, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, has a long history as a Washington insider. He said his knowledge of the ways of Washington would set him apart from Obama." ("Gingrich Acknowledges Freddie Mac Consulting Fees," Reuters, 11/16/11)

Gingrich First Ran For Congress In 1974. "My public record goes back to when I first ran for Congress in 1974. It has thousands of votes, even more thousands of speeches. Twenty-four books." (David Eldridge, "Gingrich Defends Freddie Mac Work," The Washington Times, 11/17/11)

Santorum Is A Professional Politician, Having Been Elected To Congress In 1990 And Staying For Sixteen Years Until His 2006 Defeat. "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, 2/20/12)

Before Being Elected To Congress, Santorum Served As A Staffer In The Pennsylvania Senate. "After earning bachelor's and master's degrees, [Santorum] became a staffer for Republican state Sen. Doyle Corman while he earned a law degree." (William Petroski, "Candidate Profile: Rick Santorum Refuses To Compromise On Principles," Des Moines Register, 8/7/11)

Speaker Gingrich And Congressman/Senator Santorum Were Pushed Out Of Office By Those Who Knew Them Best:

November 1998: Gingrich Resigned As Speaker When "Members Turned On Him After Unexpected [Election] Losses." "Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), the charismatic soul of the Republican Revolution whose members turned on him after unexpected losses in Tuesday's election, announced yesterday he will quit as speaker of the House. ... Gingrich bitterly denounced fellow Republicans who used him as a post-election whipping boy: 'The ones you see on TV are hateful,' he told members." (Guy Gugliotta and Juliet Eilperin, "Gingrich Steps Down In Face Of Rebellion," The Washington Post, 11/7/98)

Santorum's 2006 Loss Was "The Largest Defeat By A Republican United States Senator Seeking Election Or Re-Election In Modern Pennsylvania History." "Santorum's last race ... raises questions about his appeal to independent voters ... as well as to Republicans who will determine who gets the party's nomination. Santorum's loss was 'the largest defeat by a Republican United States senator seeking election or re-election in modern Pennsylvania history,' said G. Terry Madonna, a public affairs professor at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania." (Julie Hirschfield Davis, "Santorum's Electability Pitch Undermined By 2006 Senate Re-Election Loss," Bloomberg, 2/14/12)

State And Almost Every Demographic Group." "By the time of his nearly 18-point loss — a stunning margin for a two-term incumbent — [Santorum] had also alienated women voters, moderate Republicans and independents — not to mention the Democrats he had once won over. He lost almost every region of the state and almost every demographic group, including the blue collar workers he singles out on the campaign trail in 2012." (Carrie Budoff Brown, "Landslide '06 Loss Undercuts Santorum's Bid," Politico, 1/5/12)

Speaker Gingrich And Congressman/Senator Santorum Moved To Washington, D.C. And Never Left:

Gingrich Has Lived In An Exclusive D.C. Suburb Since His 20-Year Stint In Congress Ended. "Gingrich has lived full-time in a McLean, Virginia, home outside of D.C. that he and his wife, Callista, bought in May of 2000 for $995,000. The two-story home is on more than 5,000 square feet and has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and three fireplaces." (NYMag.com, 8/24/11)

After Leaving The Senate, Santorum Opted Against Returning To Pennsylvania And Bought A House Minutes From Washington. "The former Pennsylvania senator lives in Great Falls, Va., just 30 minutes outside of D.C. Santorum bought this 4,900-square-foot split-level home in August, 2007 for $2 million, according to public records. The home includes 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, a cobbled drive and a heated pool on 5 acres." (CNN.com, 1/13/12)

Speaker Gingrich And Congressman/Senator Santorum Failed To Qualify For The Primary Ballot In Their New Home State Of Virginia:

Neither Gingrich Nor Santorum Qualified For Virginia's March 6th Primary Ballot. "A federal judge in Virginia on Friday denied Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Jon M. Huntsman Jr. spots on the state's presidential primary ballot. ... [Perry] filed a lawsuit in December after being rejected by the State Board of Elections for a spot on Virginia's March 6 ballot. ... The other three Republican candidates later joined the lawsuit after also being rejected by the Elections Board. ... The judge said the politicians had months to challenge the constitutionality of Virginia's ballot access laws, but chose not to do so until after they had been rejected." (Michael Shear, "Gingrich, Perry, Santorum And Huntsman Lose Virginia Ballot Fight," The New York Times, 1/13/12)