The Hill News

Rick Santorum's presidential campaign accused Mitt Romney of being against Michigan workers in a new ad released Friday.

"Who's on the side of Michigan workers?," a voiceover in the ad says. "Not Romney…he supported the Wall Street bailouts, while turning his back on Michigan workers."

During a Republican presidential debate on Wednesday, Santorum criticized Romney for not opposing the Wall Street bailouts. At the debate, Romney defended his position by saying that he did not want the economy to completely fail.

The new television ad airing in Michigan comes just ahead of that state's primary on Tuesday. Two new polls released Friday showed Romney with a lead in Michigan, but Santorum is hoping he can eke out ! a victory on what is Romney's home turf. Romney's father is a former governor of Michigan, and Romney grew up there. 

Both candidates have been campaigning hard there over the last week with Santorum attacking Romney as an inauthentic conservative. Romney and Santorum have also been vocal about their opposition to the auto workers' bailout so the issue, which would otherwise likely be the decisive one in the primary.

The ad does not elaborate on how Romney turned his back on Michigan's auto workers or that  Santorum has also been strongly critical of the auto bailout.

The ad also highlights Santorum's tax reform plan which he laid out at the Detroit Economic Club roughly a week ago.

"But Rick Santorum's made in the USA plan changes everything.  It cuts taxes for Michigan manufacturers to zero, so we can bring back American jobs from overseas," the voiceover in the ad continues. "It also cuts taxes for all workers, and cuts five t! rillion dollars in spending over five years, balancing the fed! eral bud get."