Bashing Romney

The intense infighting among Republican candidates for their party’s presidential nomination has national political and business leaders worried that their candidates’ attacks on each other, particularly Mitt Romney, could backfire in the national campaign against President Obama.

Campaigning in Iowa, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich lashed out at the deluge of negative ads against him by super PACS that support Mr. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor. But with Mr. Romney’s first-place showing in Iowa and New Hampshire, Mr. Gingrich and other GOP contenders have launched a barrage of ads assailing Mr. Romney’s business record, a surprising turn for a party with a strong pro-business stance.

The attacks have focused on Mr. Romney’s record at Bain Capital, the private equity firm he co-founded and is the source of his wealth. The firm invested in other companies and restructured them. While Mr. Romney contends he created jobs, Mr. Gingrich is joining critics who say Mr. Romney got rich by laying off workers. He has been called a “corporate raider” and “vulture capitalist” while a pro-Gingrich political action committee has prepared a documentary lashing out at Mr. Romney for “reaping massive rewards” as Bain’s head.

One anti-Romney ad said Bain Capital was “more ruthless than Wall Street,” which also cast a negative light on Wall Street.

One prominent supporter of Texas Gov. Rick Perry switched sides to Mr. Romney after the governor criticized Mr. Romney’s business record.

The Republican National Committee pleaded Thursday with the candidates to rein in their attacks on each other and instead focus on President Obama’s record. “We have a real problem when he have Republicans talking like Democrats against the free market,” said South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a Romney supporter.

Other GOP officials, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and conservative talk show hosts have weighed in, calling the attacks “disgusting,” “foolish” and “out of bounds.” But then one group endorsing Mr. Romney turned on Mr. Gingrich, saying he has “more baggage than the airlines.”

Mr. Romney is the front-runner in the nominating race with voting completed in only two states. Should he emerge as the Republican nominee, comments from Mr. Gingrich, Gov. Perry and other Romney critics are sure to become fodder for President Obama’s campaign.