Huntsman attacks Romney's economic record

WASHINGTON, July 12 (UPI) -- Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and his campaign aides have attacked Mitt Romney's record on job creation while he was governor of Massachusetts.

Tim Miller, a Huntsman spokesman, called Romney's achievement "abysmal," Politico reported. Romney's economic record as governor and his experience in business are at the center of his presidential campaign.

Romney is currently the closest thing to a front-runner in the crowded Republican field.

Huntsman opened the exchange Monday in South Carolina. He said Utah had the best job growth in the country while he was governor.

Miller took up the theme Tuesday, and a Romney staffer, Ryan Williams, responded by saying Romney turned the Massachusetts economy around while creating 50,000 jobs.

In an e-mail to Politico, Miller said only Louisiana, Michigan and Ohio had lower rates of job creation in that period than Massachusetts.

"You know your job creation record is bad when you brag about leapfrogging a state ravaged by Hurricane Katrina," Miller said. "Gov. Huntsman will run on his record of cutting taxes, reducing regulation and passing free-market healthcare, which resulted in Utah becoming the No. 1 state for job creation."