Albion, Michigan (CNN) – In a sign of just how tight the GOP race in the Michigan primary has become, Rick Santorum is calling on Democratic voters to come out to the polls Tuesday and cast their ballots against rival Mitt Romney.
“On Tuesday, join Democrats who are going to send a loud message to Massachusetts Mitt Romney,” says an unidentified voice in a Santorum robo call to Michigan voters.
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The Santorum robo call attempts to rally Democrats with a reference to Romney’s now well-known opposition to the bailout for U.S. automakers.
“Romney supported the bailout for his billionaire buddies but opposed the auto bailout. That was a slap in the face to every Michigan worker,” the robo call adds. It ends with the line: “Paid for by Rick Santorum.”
Michigan’s primary is open to all voters. For weeks, liberal bloggers have called on Democrats to cross over Tuesday to support Santorum as a way to damage Romney’s chances of capturing the GOP nomination.
A Santorum spokesman defended the overt attempt to lure voters from outside the Republican Party, saying the former Pennsylvania senator’s message “resonates with conservatives and Reagan Democrats alike.”
– Also see: Democratic mischief in Michigan
“We’re bringing those Reagan Democrats to our side,” Santorum spokesman Hogan Gidley told CNN. “We figured if we can get them in the primary, we can keep them in the general.”
The existence of the robo call was first reported by the blog, TPMMuckraker.
A Romney spokesman slammed the robo call with a new twist on its attacks on Santorum's recent comment that he occasionally took "one for the team" during his time in the Senate.
"Rick Santorum has moved beyond just ‘taking one for the team,’ he is now willing to wear the other team’s jersey if he thinks it will get him more votes," Romney spokesman Ryan Williams said in a statement.
"We believe that Republicans will decide who wins Michigan – and we are confident that will be Mitt Romney,” Williams added.
Also see:
Gingrich tells evangelicals: 'We need to stand up for ourselves'
From CNN Politics
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I can't imagine any Informed Democrat willingly voting for either of these men! We want an America for all its citizens, not just for the rich & fundamental christians! It wont matter who the GOP-TP nominates, President Obama is in it for the next 4!!
Wow- the definition of santorum is true. He's sleazier than Gingrich. Can't blame the democrats for getting them to vote against Romney when his own party is using the same playbook. So unprofessional. If couse it doesn't mention he didn't bail them out either, but bailed out the steel industries of Pennsylvania.
(screaming laughter) I love it! All is fair with these pathetic GOP Clowns!
Using his words, Rick Santorum makes me want to throw up.
If I were a Democrat in Michgan I would go vote for anybody but Romney or Santorum. Either one of the other 2 losers, just to take the vote away from these two losers. In the general election I would vote for President Obama.
These toads are spinning their wheels; neither can beat President Obama in the general ellection!
I really do not care how it's done, just destroy Willard .He has done a lot of damage to American workers.Bain is an evil company.
Santorum is God's gift to Democrats. Let us give thanks.
For someone who professes faith in his God, Santorum is asking the help of "satan's" followers to help him win in the Michigan primary
Reagan Democrats?!?!?! that's hilarious. After the campaign is over, Hogan Gidley has a budding career in standup I see
No thanks there Santo. I would rather stay home.
President Santorum will take away Americans' right to use birth control because he believes it is a mortal sin. Also, he has pledged to stop all pre-natal exams for women because it's best to keep them in the dark about their babies' health.
If this is true, and I question much I read on this site, Santorum deserves to get thrown out of the GOP. Regardless, he talks too much.
I'd vote for Mickey Mouse before I'd for him.
Santorum has just proven how corrupt he really is by this low-down trick to lure democrats to vote in favor of him to upset Romney. You talk about ethics. I hope this comes back to haunt him later. Where is the integrity of this?
I've got a message for you Santorum. Apologize to America for Obamacare. You were wrong to support Arlene Specter to make millions as a supporter of the washington insider club.
no self-respecting lib would ever vote for you sanatorium, maybe Paul but the rest of you GOP losers need to step off and recognize you and your party don't represent us, at least not liberals that want forward movement.
Wow, Santorum is a complete idiot! Doesn't he realize that the democrats want him to win in Michigan, because ultimately they know that Obama has a much better chance of defeating Santorum than he does Romney. Heaven help us if Santorum wins the White House! The guy thinks that the "great recession" was started by $4.00/gallon gasoline. They guy is completely out of touch with economics, business and reality!
WOW. Santorum is so desperate. Not what I want in a President.
This guy is trying to appeal to Democrats??!! He's crapped on everything Dems have tried to build for the last 100 years!
Politics is killing this country, and it seems as if all of the candidates are more concerned with politics than they are in solving the root of the problem. Partisan Politics and the greed for campaign finance money is KILLING the American dream.
Santorum shoul dnot be voted for just to send a message, this is the root of problem in politics. We shoul dvote for who best represents us, not because we like someone, or how cowardly they are to pander for voted in this manner. It is just sickening.
Gotta think Santorum's Obama bashing probably isn't going to help him with Democrat's too much.
I think it's fair for Santorum to call on ALL Michiganders, especially Detroiter's to come out and vote against Romney regardless of political affiliation. Romney wanted to flush us Detroiter's down the toilet along with the whole US auto industry all in the name of business interests. Instead fo "Imported from Detroit", tomorrow Michigan should send Romney a clear message like "Deported from Michigan" with our voting power. Regardless of what you are doing tomorrow or what party you are affiliated with, get out tomorrow and exercise your right and responsibility to VOTE for anyone but Romney! Signed, A Motown Native!
Disgusting, destructive un-Republican behavior...you've just lost any consideration of my vote Santorum. Go home and stay there. What you did is unbecoming of someone to sit in the big office.
He's sending messages to Democrats? Wow, guess there is a little want of judgement and common sense in the GOP camp.