Rivals Assail Romney as He Takes Frontrunner Status in GOP Race

(Newsroom America) -- With success comes notoriety and, when you're talking about a presidential contest, inevitable criticism. So it's not surprising that rivals for the GOP nomination are assailing Mitt Romney after his surprising, but narrow, victory Tuesday in the Iowa caucus.

Much of that additional criticism is coming from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who unleashed on Romney in New Hampshire, where primaries will be held next week, questioning his truthfulness and labeling him "a person who accommodated liberalism" as governor of Massachusetts.

Meanwhile, Congressman Ron Paul of Texas released a new radio ad in New Hampshire as well, disputing Romney's campaign message that he is the best candidate to unseat Obama next November.

"Romney’s record is liberal, and putting him up against Obama is a recipe for defeat," said the Paul ad.

And former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who has surged in the polls of late and finished just eight votes behind Romney, launched a new fundraising effort aimed at Romney.

"No more sitting on the sidelines. Now is the time to act or get stuck with a bland, boring career politician who will lose to Barack Obama," he wrote in a note to supporters.

Romney and Santorum each received about 25 percent of the vote in Iowa, followed by Paul with 21 percent and Gingrich, who finished fourth.

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