Romney Blasts Gingrich With Freddie Mac Ad

Looks like the latest Florida poll is getting on Mitt Romney's nerves. Today his campaign released its first negative campaign ad, which says Newt Gingrich "cashed in" while the housing crisis walloped Florida families. Gingrich "has spent almost his entire adult life as a member of Congress or someone who has been an influence peddler,” said Romney-backer Tim Pawlenty in a call about the ad. “The notion that he was paid $1.7 million as a historian for Freddie Mac is just BS. I mean it's just nonsense."

Romney cautiously echoed the sentiment after meeting with Floridians who have lost their homes and businesses, the New York Times reports. He called on Gingrich to release all documents about his work for mortgage giant Freddie Mac, saying they "could represent not just evidence of lobbying, but potentially wrongful activity of some kind.” Says Gingrich: “I did no lobbying, period. It’s not true. He knows it’s not true. He is deliberately saying things he knows are false." (See Newt's reaction to calls for the release of his Freddie Mac documents.)