(CNN) - Pressed about his aggressive campaign against Newt Gingrich, Texas Rep. Ron Paul said he feels responsible to show a different side of the former House speaker to the American public.
"I have to expose him for what he's been doing over the years. That's all we're doing. Trying to present the facts," Paul said to reporters at a town hall event in Des Moines, Iowa.
In the last week, Paul has been a vocal critic of Gingrich, a man he calls a "counterfeit conservative." The Texas congressman has frequently hit the GOP front-runner as a flip-flopper and Washington insider, and in an interview with CNN on Friday, he described Gingrich's new popularity as "bewildering."
Paul's campaign also released a round of negative TV ads against Gingrich in Iowa on Wednesday, which is now set to expand into New Hampshire, the first-in-the-nation primary state.
Paul's attacks follow a surge for Gingrich in the GOP presidential horserace, where he now tops the field in three out of four early voting states, according to a new CNN/ORC International Poll.
On the heels of a Congressional showdown over ways to pay for a payroll tax cut extension, Paul also weighed in Thursday on what he calls the worst debt situation "in the history of the world."
Paul, a former obstetrician, compared Washington spending to a drug addict who fails to recover because he keeps getting fix after fix.
"But, you know, if you don't get off the drugs, if you're an alcoholic, and you're about to ruin your liver, I tell you what, if you don't quit, the patient dies," he said.
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From CNN Politics
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I think all old people are allowed to call each other names! Go Uncle Ron!
Just sent a big contribution to Paul's campaign. Newt Gingrich must not be allowed near the White House.
We already know about Gingrich, the problem is that people just don't care about those details.
Paul has some really good ideas and a different way of looking at things but then he has some tripped our ideas also.
I want to support him but I really do not think he could handle the job.
I admire Ron Paul, but do not agree with his policies. He is an honest man. Someone needs to expose Newt Gingrich to the unknowing american public. Gingrich is a very dangerous man. Someone in the Republican party needs to speak up about this man. He is very unstable, far out and capable of doing a lot of harm to the United States. Iwould hate to see him go against that nut in North Korea. Come on Republicans, be an American for a change.
I am a dem and I'd vote for Paul. It's not about partisianship, it's about honesty and integrity. Most politicians on either side of the fence have sold theirs to the highest bidder.
Paul for t3h win.
When he criticizes someone there's some actual gravity to it.
I'm a very moderate democrat.
I'd actually vote for Ron Paul (over Obama) if he were the GOP candidate.
I believe we have now solved the mystery of the Mayan calander, they were predicting the rise of Newt Gingrich. As a moderate conservative independent, the far right's (tea party inflicted) desire to do a Kamakaze mission on the country causes me anger. This election is far to important. We need to get America back to work, and simply can not afford four more years of the same.
Seriously, how is Newt a frontrunner? Do people just not give a damn about his history?
He has my vote, my father's vote, my mother's vote, my brother's vote, and several of my friends. I also had my Ron Paul sweatshirt on the other day while eating in a restaurant and a stranger approached me to shake my hand and compliment me. It felt great. I trust this man more than the the typical politicians who say one thing and operate differently behind closed doors. -Ryan, 24 year old high school social studies teacher! God Bless America!