Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney — the 2012 Republican nominee for president — campaigned in Iowa Sunday with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst. “She’s going to be an extraordinary breath of fresh air in Washington,” Romney said. “I can’t wait ’til she goes there and makes ’em squeal, can you? It’s going to be wonderful.” Romney, of course, is referring to Ernst’s primary campaign ad in which she talked about her farm roots and castrating pigs.

Romney campaigned with Ernst in eastern Iowa on May30th, right after he endorsed Ernst as she was competing against five other Republicans for the party’s U.S. Senate nomination. On Sunday Romney was in central Iowa, headlining an Ernst campaign rally at the Iowa Farm Bureau headquarters in West Des Moines. Both Ernst and Romney referred to remarks President Obama made last week about this year’s election.

“He said in this race that his policies are on the ballot,” Romney said. “but Iowa voted for President Obama twice, but Iowa is not going to vote for Bill Bailey and vote for him a third time, that’s for sure.” That “Bill Bailey” reference was Romney’s way of highlighting Michelle Obama’s missteps last Friday when she called Braley “Bailey” seven times before the crowd yelled out Braley’s name. Ernst, who spoke three times as long as Romney did, urged the crowd to vote early and volunteer to seek out other voters.

“Iowa is excited about the opportunity to have not just one Republican United States Senator, but two Republican United States Senators,” Ernst said, to cheers. Romney and Ernst plan to rally with supporters this (Monday) morning in Cedar Rapids.

(Radio Iowa)