Rick Santorum demanded ‘fiscal responsibility’ as a 2012 presidential candidate. Ten years later, his campaign committees still owe creditors nearly $1 million.

• Former Sen. Rick Santorum’s 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns are still in debt.
• The committees owe creditors a combined total of almost $1 million, filings show.
• Newt Gingrich’s 2012 campaign — at more than $4.63 million — remains king of presidential committee debt.

Conservative commentator Rick Santorum once demanded “fiscal responsibility” as a 2012 presidential candidate, arguing that America needs a leader prepared to make “tough choices” on spending.

Ten years later, Santorum’s 2012 and 2016 presidential campaign committees both remain deep in debt, owing creditors a combined total of $1 million, according to quarterly financial filings submitted Thursday to the Federal Election Commission.

Both Santorum’s 2012 and 2016 committees report only a minimal amount of cash on hand — a combined $3,516, as of March 31, the filings indicate. 

The 2016 campaign committee owes Santorum himself $317,130, having only paid him back $26,869 worth of two personal loans he made to the campaign totaling $344,000. Additionally, he is owed loan interest of more than $47,000.

The 2016 campaign also reports owing $39,192 to American Express for “credit card” bills.

Among the 2012 campaign’s creditors are consultants including Brabender Cox LLC, which is owed $366,060 for media consulting, production, and placement services. 

Santorum could not be reached for comment.

During his 2012 campaign, Santorum blasted Democrats for their spending habits. He slammed one of former President Barack Obama’s budget proposals, warning there would be “turmoil in the streets” without spending cuts. Santorum said he was committed to balancing the budget and cutting $5 trillion in spending in five years. 

Santorum’s voting record as a senator on raising the debt limit came under fire during that campaign, with then-Rep. Ron Paul of Texas calling him a “big government, big spending individual” during a debate. Santorum, CNN reported, voted six times for permanent increases in the debt limit while in the Senate, where he represented Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007.

More recently, Santorum, a long-time CNN commentator, “parted ways” with the network last year after he faced criticism for disparaging remarks he made about Native Americans.

Despite his old campaign committees’ debt, Santorum’s two committees total less than a quarter of what former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s 2012 committee owes.

The “Newt 2012” campaign committee remains more than $4.63 million in debt, according to financial filing submitted in January to the FEC.

No presidential campaign from any election cycle owes creditors more money than that of Gingrich.

Because of federal rules, neither Gingrich nor Santorum are personally liable for the debts of their presidential committees.