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POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Mitt Romney isn’t taking any chances.

A day before voting begins in Florida’s Republican primary, Romney is running ahead of rival Newt Gingrich in polls. The former Massachusetts governor earned positive reviews during two debates. And Romney has put the former House speaker on the defensive over ethics and Freddie Mac.

“It’s only when he can mass money to focus on carpetbombing with negative ads that he gains any traction at all,” Gingrich is complaining.

But instead of stepping back and refocusing on President Barack Obama — as he did in Iowa when it became clear that Gingrich had lost — Romney is ratcheting up his rhetoric and continuing his attacks until the very end. He hopes to close the Florida campaign strongly to push Gingrich as far back as possible.

“His record is one of failed leadership,” Romney said of Gingrich Sunday night at a rally in Pompano Beach, in South Florida. And Romney challenged Gingrich to “look in the mirror” to figure out why the former House speaker has fallen back in Florida.



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