New Santorum ad links Romney's policies to Obama

(CBS News) -- SHAWANO, Wis. - In a last-ditch attempt to warn those thinking of voting for Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum's campaign on Monday began running an ad in Wisconsin comparing his rival's policies to those of President Obama.

"What if I told you this man's big-government mandated health care included $50 abortions and killed thousands of jobs?" a female narrator asks onscreen as pictures of Obama interspersed with pictures of an ultrasound fill the space next to her. "Would you ever vote for him?"

"What if I told you he supported radical environmental job-killing cap and trade and the Wall Street bailouts? And what if I told you he dramatically raised taxes and stuck taxpayers with a $1 billion shortfall?" she asks.

"One more thing: What if I told you the man I'm talking about isn't him?" the narrator asks as a picture of Obama's face on the screen morphs into a picture of Romney's face. "It's him."

The ad is a last-minute gamble in a state where polls in the last few weeks have shown Romney leading Santorum in the high single digits and the former senator's crowds began to dwindle at campaign events over the weekend.

Santorum communications director Hogan Gidley said the ad will run across the state of Wisconsin on Monday and Tuesday ahead of the state's primary. It will supplement about $1 million in ads run by the Red White and Blue Fund, a super PAC supporting Santorum's campaign.

A win in Wisconsin would be valuable for Santorum, since Romney is the overwhelming favorite in the other Tuesday primary contests in Maryland and Delaware; Santorum is not on the ballot in Washington, D.C.

April looks to be a tough month for the former Pennsylvania senator as a series of more moderate, northeastern states will vote. His best chances lie in his former home state of Pennsylvania, and even a win there is far from guaranteed.