Rival campaigns remind that Romney was against flat tax

Mitt Romney's political foes are seeking to remind voters that during the height of the 1996 presidential primary campaign Romney spoke out against Steve Forbes's flat tax idea calling it a "tax cut for fat cats."

On Wednesday two rival campaigns were handing the Hotline and the Globe ads Romney purchased in New Hampshire newspapers and The Boston Globe against the flat tax.

One campaign even pointed out that the language in the ad was similar to that of Senator John Kerry, who told the Worcester Sunday Telegram that year that the flax tax would only help "Steve Forbes and rich people with trust funds".

All the effort from the rival campaigns was in advance of a speech Romney is set to give Thursday in Florida before the fiscally conservative Club for Growth.

Asked if Romney holds the same position today, his campaign put out this statement: "Governor Romney believes we need a simpler tax code that encourages growth and innovation."

All Republican presidential candidates are speaking at the event, except Senator John McCain, who rejected the invitation.