Romney won't 'light my hair on fire' for conservatives

LIVONIA, Mich., Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, on the campaign trail in Michigan Tuesday, said he isn't willing to "light my hair on fire" to court conservatives.

But speaking at a news conference at his headquarters in Livonia, the former Massachusetts governor conceded he had made "mistakes," The Washington Post reported.

"It's very easy to excite the base with incendiary comments," Romney told reporters. "We've seen throughout the campaign that if you're willing to say really outrageous things that are accusatory and attacking President Obama that you're going to jump up in the polls. You know, I'm not willing to light my hair on fire to try and get support. I am who I am."

Asked to elaborate, Romney said: "I'm not going to do it. I don't care how hard you ask. It would be a big fire, I assure you."

The former Massachusetts governor refused to say specifically what mistakes he made, saying, "Oh, I can't imagine you would have a hard time coming up with anything. Never repeat your mistakes."

Romney must win his home state of Michigan's primary Tuesday or lose his front-runner status and perhaps face new challengers other than Rick Santorum.

Polls show Santorum and Romney in a dead heat in Michigan.

Santorum was pulling out all the stops, even calling on Democrats to vote for him in the open Republican primary. Romney called that "dirty tricks" and labeled Santorum an "economic lightweight," the Post said.

Romney spoke after a tough week in which he revealed his wife owned two Cadillacs and he was friends with NASCAR team owners.

Arizona also held its Republican primary Tuesday, with Romney comfortably ahead in polls, The New York Times reported.