Santorum cries foul over Romney's Ohio spending

Rick Santorum

/ AP Photo/Eric Gay

(CBS News) Steubenville, OH -- Rick Santorum spent much of his time in Ohio crying foul over being outspent by his rival Mitt Romney.

He told a crowd near Dayton Monday, "If I had the opportunity to have a 6 to 1 spending advantage given where we are in this race right now, this race wouldn't been close."

Later that day, in Cuyahoga Falls, the margin had widened. "When you have 12 million dollars and you can outspend someone 12 or 13 to one, you can stop and ignore answering the questions," said Santorum.

According to Santorum campaign spokesman Hogan Gidley, the supposed 12-to-1 spending advantage for Romney includes the total amount spent by the campaigns and the total for the super pacs supporting each of them.

Gidley claims the Romney campaign has poured in $4.5 million and that the super pac supporting him has aired $8 million in ads backing Romney in Ohio. Gidley tells CBS News that the Santorum campaign has spent $560,000 in Ohio and FEC filings show that the super pac supporting Santorum has poured in about $800,000. Based on those figures, Romney's advantage would be about 10-to-1.

But not so fast. FEC disclosures show that Restore Our Future, the super pac supporting Romney, has only spent about $3 million on the race in Ohio. And while the Romney campaign has not disclosed how much it has spent in Ohio, a Romney campaign source tells CBS producer Bonney Kapp that the figure is "not even close" to Gidley's $4.5 million claim.

Laura Strickler contributed reporting.

[nearl451]

So take it up with the SCOTUS, Rick. You know campaign finance reform was a good thing before they stepped in and made vastly money more important than anything else.

[Raptorsmasher]

This guy has to have some serious skeletons in his closet. Anyone who denounces gay with such furor has got to be hiding something. What is it Ricky?

[jimbom121]

Romney's been running for president since 2004, and is the establishment candidate, of course he has more money.

[twmat311]

When is he going to stop whining? What a cry baby! PA's biggest embarassment is showing his true colors - when behind, cry like a child; when ahead, stuff your foot so far into your mouth you can touch your nose to your ankle!

Please let Super Tuesday end this hopeless caes's chance at ANY elective office.

[erpicferl]

wrong frothy, this race would be closer if you weren't a priest behind the charade of a politician. we see right through you boy.

[DebbieCorona]

So Santorum is saying that $$ = Free Speech and Free Speech buys elections. What's the point of representative government if only money is represented.

[dj_chi]

Money buys elections. Always has and always will.