MESA, ARIZ. — Surging Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum was forced Wednesday to defend his spending record in Congress against a barrage of criticism from rivals in the 20th and last debate before the four remaining candidates face voters in 13 states over the next two weeks.
The debate marked the former Pennsylvania senator’s first foray at center stage, as he has skyrocketed to the top of recent national polls less than a week before primaries in Arizona and Michigan that very well could sway the direction of this fluid GOP race into Super Tuesday and beyond.
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Santorum, who has been largely sidelined in most of the previous debates, was hammered particularly hard by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is fending off Santorum’s surge after having weathered similar challenges to his front-runner status by other conservatives.
