Santorum suggests Romney and Paul conspiring against him

Ron Paul, Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney (Jae C. Hong/AP) By Chris Moody
MESA, Ariz. -- Have Ron Paul and Mitt Romney made some kind of secret alliance to boost Romney to the nomination? Rick Santorum is starting to think so.

After months on the campaign trail, Paul has largely chosen to focus his attacks on candidates not named Mitt Romney, most recently going after Santorum, the latest candidate to pose a challenge to Romney's candidacy. The idea that Ron Paul would spare Romney--while attacking candidates with arguably stronger conservative records than the former Massachusetts governor--has Santorum wondering.

"You'll have to ask Congressman Paul and Governor Romney what they've got going together," Santorum told reporters after the Republican presidential debate in Mesa, Arizona on Wednesday. "Their commercials look a lot alike and so do their attacks." The idea might not be so far fetched. The Washington Post earlier this month reported that the Romney and Paul camps--as different as they are--have forged a behind-the-scenes alliance. "Romney's aides are 'quietly in touch with Ron Paul,' according to a Republican adviser who is in contact with the Romney campaign," the Post's Amy Gardner reported.

Although Paul has certainly landed a few punches on Romney over the course of the campaign, his efforts against him pale in comparison to the ads and comments he has made about the other candidates.