Ex- Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says in a newspaper opinion piece that he is a "son of Detroit."
State Democrats say he only is after votes in Michigan and point to another Romney column several years ago that was headlined: "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt."
Michigan holds its Republican presidential primary Feb. 28.
U.S. Reps. John. Dingell and Sander Levin, state Democratic Chairman Mark Brewer and ex-Gov. Jennifer Granholm criticized Romney's Detroit News article Tuesday afternoon during a conference call with reporters.
The article criticizes President Barack Obama and the government bailouts for General Motors and Chrysler. Romney also released a new TV ad Tuesday touting his Michigan roots.
Granholm says that instead of supporting the state, Romney "stabbed" Michigan in the back.