Romney launches new ad in Iowa

By Globe Staff

Mitt Romney, staying focused on Iowa while still monitoring his potential general election rivals, launched a new TV ad in the Hawkeye State today while giving a big thumbs-down to the Democrats' performance in last night's AFL-CIO forum in Chicago.

The former Massachusetts governor called the forum before 17,000 union members a "pander-fest" and "a prime example" of why the Democratic presidential contenders "are unprepared to lead the country and unwilling to change the status quo in Washington."

The new 30-second television ad, titled "Change Begins," urges Iowans to attend the Saturday straw poll in Ames and send a message to Washington politicians who Romney says can't control spending or the nation's borders. Most pundits expect him to win the straw poll because the other top-tier Republicans are skipping the event.