MESA, Ariz. - A few days before a couple of crucial primary education collided, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum some differences in debate Wednesday night small magnifying irritable and stressed the importance of the stakes in the battle head to the presidential election head.

The former Massachusetts governor, was aggressive from the start, challenging Santorum claims of fiscal prudence. Romney criticized Santorum to vote for raising the debt ceiling five times and spent more time looking for money - the house's head of state legislators for special projects.

The former senator from Pennsylvania, defended the practice saying that Congress has an important oversight role in shaping the federal budget."Sometimes the president, the government is not doing things right," said Santorum.

Romney, calling for a ban on affects, rushed with a reference to the administration of the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City issues. "While I was fighting to save the Olympics, they fought to save the" Bridge to Nowhere, "he said, referring to the intended passage of a small island off Alaska, which is become a symbol of government waste.

"You are entitled to their opinions," Santorum broken. "You do not have the right to distort the facts, and false pretenses. Not sure what you mean."

Characterized night exchange. It is difficult, and people seemed to reflect a desire to participate - even if the problems were esoteric and the other candidates, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, had a margin to play outside.

Romney, the favorites in most races, was trying to stop the momentum of Santorum before the election on Tuesday in Arizona and Michigan, and a week later, on Super Tuesday when more than one third of delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination is at stake

One of the most controversial and exchanges involving complex religious freedom and the right to health care scanning, under the presidency of Barack Obama passed.

The four candidates were unanimous in condemning the administration's decision, as amended, require religious employers to contraceptives in their insurance plans provide for employees. Santorum went further and said that the health program conducted under Romney in Massachusetts, was the model for Obama's plan - including the provision of birth control that Romney and other reports.

"The reason why this topic is still alive Romneycare," Santorum said.

Romney responded by pointing out that Santorum, he endorsed when he ran for president in 2008 after the approval of the Massachusetts law, and insisted the only reason Obama signed the law was the voice of former Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania to support Santorum's re-election.

"So do not look at me," Romney mocked. "Looking in the mirror."

Specter, a moderate Republican, switched parties and became a Democrat, Obama has long been a pariah to many conservatives. Santorum argued in a tone in the campaign of 2004 against the representative. Pat Toomey, the candidate of many on the right side favored.

Santorum said, because he is supporting Specter, as chairman promised to support the Senate Judiciary Committee to conservative judges to the Supreme Court. "I did the right thing for our country," he said.

Santorum largely stayed away from provocative statements that have dominated the week. Instead of declaring that the government's role in public education "anachronistic", he said he would like the federal government and the state of education to look back at the local level.

"I see, I am a father of seven home-schooling," he said, adding: "I know the importance of parental control of education, I know the importance of local control of the education, "he said.

The audience booed when the discussion focused on the issue of contraception, the question from a viewer who e-mail CNN website and asked which candidate he believed in birth control. Nobody answered directly.

Santorum spoke about the increasing incidence of births outside marriage and close strongly by children born to mothers face unique. "We hear this all the time:" So we need to reduce government spending limit, you'll be fine. "No, not everything is good," said Santorum. "There are larger issues at stake in America. "

Paul, an obstetrician, he argued that contraception was not to blame.

"The pill is there and, you know ... bears, perhaps," he said, "but the pills can not blame the immorality of our society."

The debate about the Republican competition on 20 and the first in nearly a month there was a potentially crucial point in the race.

The last time the candidates met in Florida, Romney was a challenge to defend against the assaults of the former Speaker of the House Gingrich and hope for the nomination with a victory in the Sunshine State. But after a series of victories in Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado, Santorum challenger become important for Romney, Romney in the Michigan native is a victory for him.

Arizona, where Romney leads polls, seemed less important in controlling the race and the debate about its own role, illegal immigration, an issue of concern for Arizona, and not to the surface more than half of debate.

Applicants selected for the movements are even more serious than has been attempted in the state, including the construction of a fence along the US-Mexico border. "I think I see a pattern here in Arizona," said Romney, adding that the president wanted to federal prosecution filed to challenge state repression of the Obama administration has dropped.

At one point, the strong tone of the debate was broken when candidates were asked to describe in one word.

"Okay," said Paul barked.

"Courage," said Santorum.

"Resolved," said Romney.

"Enthusiastic," said Gingrich puckishly, drawing laughter and applause from the audience.