Gingrich: Romney wants to "buy election" AMES, Iowa -- As he struggles to eke out a top-three finish in Tuesday's Iowa caucus, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich launched one of his harshest attacks yet on front-runner Mitt Romney, saying the former Massachusetts governor would "buy an election if he could." As he was leaving a campaign event, the former House speaker was asked by journalists about a report that he, earlier in the day, had accused Romney of attempting to buy votes. Gingrich replied, "No, I didn't say he was. I said he would if he could. ... He would buy an election if he could. Gingrich said he was referring to the negative ads that a PAC backing Romney is running against him in Iowa, and said that the ad buys could total $3.5 million. Gingrich's comments came as he and his wife, Callista, left the West Towne Pub en route to his next campaign event. He has vowed to stay "positive" in his quest for the GOP nomination, but has been increasingly on the attack against Romney as his poll numbers have declined, mainly in response to the barrage of negative ads purchased by groups supporting Romney, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and other of his rivals. A super PAC calling itself Restore Our Future and run by former Romney aides has spent nearly $3 million on ads in Iowa. Accusing Romney of trying to "buy votes" serves Gingrich's purpose of portraying his rival as an elitist, calling attention to his background as a wealthy former investment banker at Bain Capital. But it comes with some risk for the former lawmaker, who himself made millions after leaving Congress by trading on his influence in Republican political circles in Washington.