Santorum wealth at odds with claim of humble roots?

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Rick Santorum grew wealthy over his four years working as a corporate consultant and media commentator after leaving the Senate in 2006, his newly released federal tax returns show. He made more than $3.6 million and drove an Audi luxury sedan — details that could be at odds with his effort to attract blue-collar voters in the GOP’s upcoming presidential primary in Michigan.

Santorum, 53, has presented himself in the Republican primaries as both a social conservative and a Washington outsider, stressing his family’s coal-mining background and his appeal to religious and working-class voters. His personal finances detail the trajectory of a politician who became a millionaire, at times by capitalizing on his Beltway connections.

The former Pennsylvania senator’s tax returns, released Wednesday night, show that his annual adjusted gross income surged from nearly $660,000 in 2007 to $1.1 million in 2009 before slipping to $923,000 in 2010.

Santorum’s 2008 return includes a filing for depreciation of an Audi A luxury sedan, which he drove more than half of his time as a consultant. A year earlier, his 2007 return shows, Santorum took depreciation on a Chevy Trailblazer.

The German model, which had a $42,000 list price in 2008, might not be an easy fit with the candidate’s “Made in America” revitalization plan. Santorum has called for “rebuilding the engine that drove America as a world power.” His plan would slash taxes on corporations and aim at bringing back millions of dollars in U.S. investment sent abroad.

The revived auto industry is a prime concern in Michigan, where Santorum aims for a Feb. 28 upset of main rival Mitt Romney. Both Santorum and Romney have criticized the Obama administration’s handling of the industry’s federal bailout.