While campaigning in Ohio Monday Mitt Romney called attention to the record of rival candidate Rick Santorum, saying that the former Pennsylvania senator was no “budget hawk” during his time in Washington:

The Associated Press reports that Romney accused Santorum of helping congressional Republicans spend money “like Democrats.” The former Massachusetts governor said he would cut the federal budget in part by giving control of Medicaid, housing vouchers and food stamps back to the states. The Los Angeles Times reports that Romney said that during two terms as a Pennsylvania senator, Santorum voted to raise the debt ceiling five times and the size of the federal government grew by 80%.

Romney urged Ohio voters to back him in their March 6 primary because Ohio “often decides who the president is,” reports the Associated Press.