Romney stumps for other GOP candidates while Wilson questions his 'deficit hawk' claim

Romney stumps for other GOP candidates while Wilson questions his 'deficit hawk' claim

(Ravell Call, KSL, File)


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SALT LAKE CITY — With a comfortable lead in his bid for the U.S. Senate, Mitt Romney has traveled inside and outside Utah to campaign for other Republicans.

The 2012 GOP presidential nominee knocked on doors with a Salt Lake County Council candidate, attended meet-and-greets with legislative hopefuls, and appeared in TV ads for 1st Congressional District Rep. Rob Bishop and Rep. Mia Love, who is engaged in a heated race with Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams in Utah’s 4th District.

Romney also hosted a campaign event with Rep. Chris Stewart and joined Rep. John Curtis for get-out-the-vote phone calls.

Earlier this month, Romney headlined a rally for U.S. Senate candidate Martha McSally in Arizona.

As for his own race, Romney said last week that he has held 385 campaign events since announcing his intent to replace retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch last February.

Polls show the former Massachusetts governor with a substantial lead over Democratic Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson.

Wilson promises to push through to Election Day, now only two weeks away. She launched a digital ad last Friday in which she questions how Romney could call himself a “deficit hawk” when he supports the Republican tax plan, which is estimated to add $1.9 trillion to the national debt.

The video shows rich diners at a fancy meal passing the bill down to a young girl.

"The Mitt Romney-supported Republican tax bill: giveaways to corporations and billionaires," the narrator says. "Sadly, the next generation will pay. Mitt Romney, a deficit hawk?"

Romney has made cutting deficit spending and moving toward a balanced budget top priorities.

Wilson drafted a tax plan of her own that she said that would have brought relief to working families without busting the budget.

"I predicted at the time of its passage, and six months later at the introduction of my alternative bill, that the GOP tax bill would fail our nation. It has done just that,” she said.

At their only debate two weeks ago, Romney said he liked and disliked aspects of the Republican tax cut. He said he didn’t like that higher income people received a tax break.

Wilson contends Romney has gone “back and forth” on the tax bill, originally endorsing its passage but more recently opposing tax cuts for the rich.

"Principles and consistency are sorely missing in Washington, along with old-fashioned math,” she said.

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Dennis Romboy
Dennis Romboy is an editor and reporter for the Deseret News. He has covered a variety of beats over the years, including state and local government, social issues and courts. A Utah native, Romboy earned a degree in journalism from the University of Utah. He enjoys cycling, snowboarding and running.

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