Florida front-runners trade jabs

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TAMPA, Fla. — The two leading Republican presidential hopefuls traded barbs yesterday in a final frenzied campaign dash across Florida on the eve of the state's primary election today.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney blasted the legislative record of chief Republican rival Sen. John McCain, accusing the Arizonan of being a "liberal."

"He's known for some things which frankly are not conservative-Republican kind of movements, but instead would have pulled the nation to the left," Mr. Romney said of Mr. McCain at a morning airport rally in Fort Myers. "And I just don't think those liberal answers are what America is looking for."

Mr. McCain challenged Mr. Romney's conservative credentials.

"The truth is, Mitt Romney was a liberal governor of Massachusetts who raised taxes, imposed with Ted Kennedy a big government-mandate health care plan that is now a quarter of a billion dollars in the red and managed his state's economy incompetently, leaving Massachusetts with less job growth than 46 other states," he said.

Pollsters predict a tight race. At stake are 57 delegates, the largest total to date of any state primary or caucus. The winner also will earn crucial momentum heading into next week's "Super Tuesday," when 21 states hold Republican contests worth more than half the party's delegates to this summer's national convention.

A Rasmussen survey conducted Sunday in Florida shows Mr. Romney and Mr. McCain in a tie, with each receiving 31 percent support.

Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who led many Florida polls earlier in the month, fell to third in the poll with 16 percent — five percentage points ahead of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

"It surprises me to the extent of how close it is, but every primary so far has come down to two people," said pollster Scott Rasmussen.

Winning Florida is crucial for Mr. Romney because he trails Mr. McCain in many Super Tuesday state polls, Mr. Rasmussen said.

"Mitt Romney has more to lose [in Florida] than John McCain does," he said. "So this could be Mitt Romney's last chance to derail the McCain train."

Mr. Romney said campaign-finance reform legislation that Mr. McCain co-sponsored with Sen. Russ Feingold, Wisconsin Democrat, in 2002 "made things worse, not better." He called immigration reform measures that Mr. McCain drafted last summer with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, an "amnesty bill" for illegal aliens.

Mr. Romney also criticized a proposal to help cap greenhouse gases that Mr. McCain co-sponsored with Sen. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut independent, saying it would cost the average American $1,000 extra each year in gasoline and heating-oil purchases.

"I just don't think those liberal answers are what America is looking for," Mr. Romney said.

Mr. McCain, at an afternoon rally in Tampa, stuck to core campaign issues: national security, military strength and veterans benefits.

"I'm running for the president of the United States because I believe I can keep this country safe," said the senator, who was joined on stage by Gov. Charlie Crist.

"This is an American hero," said the popular governor.

Meanwhile, Mr. Guiliani hinted yesterday that he might drop out of the race if he loses Florida.

"Wednesday morning, we'll make a decision," he told reporters between campaign appearances.

c This article is based in part on wire service reports. Mr. Lengell reported from Tampa; Mr. Curl from West Palm Beach, Fla.