(CNN) — It didn’t take long for Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney to trade barbs at Saturday night’s Republican presidential debate.
Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who has lost the top spot in national polls, was quick to point out where he and the former House speaker differ on the issues.
“We could start with this idea to have a lunar colony that would mine minerals from the moon,” said Romney, referring to a Gingrich proposal to mine for precious minerals on the moon.
Romney also highlighted his differences with Gingrich over altering child labor laws and lowering the capital gains tax for most Americans. Romney, as he has in the past, characterized Gingrich as a career politician.
Gingrich calmly responded, saying “the only reason you didn’t become a career politician is you lost to Teddy Kennedy in 1994. It’s a bit much. You’d have been a 17-year career politician by now if you’d won.”
Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who also has criticized Gingrich over the past few weeks, said that the former House speaker is “taking positions that are not conservative.”
